Take a moment

Words matter. They make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others. This week, Rich and I received a card from overseas. Someone had taken the trouble to write us a card. They’d taken the time to encourage us, to say that they were praying for us, to say that they were “with us”.

It wasn’t a long letter; it didn’t need to be a long letter. But those few words communicated “we understand, we’re with you. we’re praying for you, keep going.” Just those few words made our day.

Words can call potential out of us. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Cephas  (meaning Peter, the Rock) as a prophetic declaration of who Peter would become, through Jesus.

So, take a moment today. Take a moment to stop. Take a moment to put down judgements, assumptions and angst. Take a moment to lay them all down at the foot of the cross.

Take a moment to pick up forgiveness and receive peace.

Take a moment to breathe. Take a moment to count blessings.

Take a moment and pick a person. Someone you love, or maybe even someone you don’t…. Pick a person  – any person you know.

And take a moment.

Ask God to show you how much He loves them. Ask Him to show you the things He loves about that person, the special intricacies of their character, the skills he’s given them. Ask God to fill you with His love for that person.

Take a moment and write those words down.

 Take a moment.

And then pray. Pray His blessing on that person. Pray they would know His love today in greater measure. Pray they would have a fuller understanding of God’s heart today.

Take a moment and send the words to that person.

Take a moment today to share, to encourage, to build-up.

Take a moment today.

I’m taking a moment today.

“Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,  I have not stopped giving thanks for you,remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

Ephesians 1:15-19

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:16-19

(Inspired by Mary de Muth’s post here.)