Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is biweekly and a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.
Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.
Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey with Jesus.
PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we examined Holding Hands with God. This week we will investigate Abandonment and Trusting God. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”
PROMISE: Hebrews 13:5b Amplified
For He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”
We can trust the history of God’s loving presence. HIS-story has proved that He will not fosake us! There is no situation that can unhinge His hand from drawing us near and caring for us.
PSALM: Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand By: Mary Jane (Jennie) Bain Wilson, (1856-1913)
Jennie (the writer of this hymn) must have experienced a sense of abandonment through the lost of her father, typhoid fever, and the loss of her legs. becoming an invalid. Still, she choose to cling to and trust in God who will never us.
PARABLE: When I think of feeling forsaken and abandoned, I see the vivid image of my ten year old self. I feel the hard concrete steps beneath my bottom. I feel and see the bright sunshine. I see the cars and delivery trucks riding down Milton Street. I smell the crisp dew of the morning air. I hear the sound of my siblings and neighborhood friends playing 4 square (also called A,B,C block). I hear them beckoning me to come and play. I respond, “I can’t. I’m waiting for my dad to come and pick me up.” I feel the hot sun beams from the heated cement, I see the street lights flickering on. I hear my mom saying, “You have to come in.” It’s eight o’clock at night and its dark. You can’t sit out here. I’m sorry. Your dad is not coming.” I taste the salt from my tears of abandonment. I feel the snot from my runny nose. I hear the whimper song of disappointment as I cry myself to sleep.
There were times when my father was unable to pick me up for our visitations due to working overtime at the steel mill. I now understand that the disappointment and anticipation of the waiting was a seed that the Evil One was planting. It would grow and become the root of why I would believe, act and feel that God my Heavenly Father could not be trusted and that He would forsake me. It was painting a picture of unhealthy and untrue God attachment that would take years to re-portrait.
Because we cannot physically see God, we forget that God is El Roi and He sees us. Perhaps you have your own memories of how our trust in God is often based on our mistrust of others who have abandoned us. Regardless of what lies our past may try to tell us, our present self, the Presence of Jesus can help us to live in the truth that we can trust in Him who will not leave us no matter what life brings.
So…How do we re-portrait the picture of abandonment? We place our hand in Our God of hope and trust that He will never leave or forsake us.
PONDER and WANDER: In circumstances when we feel abandoned, we can trust the history of God’s love. HIS-story has proved that there is no situation that can unhinge His hand from caring for us.
Soul care training exercise: If you choose, when you are ready, complete the T.R.U.S.T. exercise that can help you to strengthen your trust in God.
- First, Turn over your memories of abandonment to Jesus.
- Next, Recognize the lie that the Evil one is using to draw you away from the truth that God, El Roi is our God who sees you.
- Then, Understand that God is not like man. He will keep His promise to NEVER leave you.
- Now, Surrender the stronghold of the past memories of being abandoned to Jesus.
- Finally, Towards Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit lead and guide you to the arms of Jesus. Rest in His arms knowing He will never leave you.
PRAYER: Lord God, Help me to trust your track record more than I trace the memories of feeling abandoned. Let me know what it means to trust you with my whole heart. In the healing name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to breathe in and let the work of your wandering fill you with strength.
Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.
Until next time, be Resonant.
The post Trust in Him appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions:
Trust God: Belovedwomen.org photo with added text
Trust: Belovedwomen.org photo with added text
BONUS REFLECTION: Our experiences can damper our ability to put our total trust in God. If you choose, take five minutes to experience this T.R.U.S.T. guided reflection of placing our feelings of abandonment in the hands of God.
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