One hundred days…

I know several people who journal.  I’ve always admired anyone able to stay diligent in the task.  Though I’ve never been great at faithfully writing and dating traditional diary entries, I have made my Bible a journal of sorts.  It began years ago.  I’m almost positive the first entry I ever wrote was on February 1, 1998.  Since then, I have tons of dated notes written in the margins.    Many of the notes are next to scriptures the Lord gave me while in the midst of a storm.  Some are words He spoke to me through studying certain verses.  I have a habit of writing several notes in the Psalms.  I write whatever I may be going through next to different chapters.  I use the chapter number to represent the date.  For example, my grandmother passed away March 5, 2007, so I have a note next to Psalm 5.

There are times when reading my Bible where I come across a name of someone who I’ve not had contact with in a while.  Seeing the person’s name will spark a reminder to pray for him or her.  Sometimes I look at notes I wrote and realize how far I’ve come in my spiritual development.  However, most of the time, I recognize those entries as cries from my heart to God’s heart, and I sit in awe of the many answered prayers and amazing encounters I’ve had with Him.

The day I posted my first blog entry was September 19, 2012.  When the clock struck midnight, I opened my Bible full of nervous anticipation of whatever God might have in mind for me through A Girl on the Doorstep.  I immediately flipped to Psalm chapter 19.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (N.K.J.V.)

My note in the margin reads as follows:  As I start my blog, I want Psalm 19:14 to remain my prayer today and every day.

I want my words to be acceptable in the sight of God.  Even more than that, I want the meditations of my heart to be acceptable.  I can say the right words, but if my heart isn’t right, it means nothing.  Usually, when I sit down with my laptop to write, I have no idea what words will come out.  I pray for direction and hold onto hope that God will use me to say something someone needs to hear.  Today as I read my Bible and look over some of the tear-stained ink, I can literally see a conversation between God and me.  It is not one sided.  I see His infallible words and my meek and sometimes very weak response.  I see the love of a God Who holds me in His hands with the entire world yet makes me feel as if I’m the only one.  I see faithfulness and provision, which is impossible to come from any other source.  I see grace.

What do you see when you open your Bible?