Daily Prayer: Matthew 1

Happy New Year. I'm not making any resolutions (besides "More of You, Jesus. Less of me.") but I do want to be more intentional about putting things here...on the blog, not just on my facebook page. It's so easy to access social media from anywhere, and when I'm on my computer I'm focused on Meeting in the Meadow's content...but now I'm making this a priority too...not for fame or fortune, but just to have a record of what God's doing in me, through me. As my grandkids get older and will soon have access to the www I want to be able for them to see what God's doing in the background. Always truthful here, raw, unashamed. Or ashamed and repentant. Either one are good. I just need a space to put it all, and that will be here. Somedays a journal, somedays a prayer and devo, always talking to Jesus. -Marina

Daily Prayer: 1.1.2023
Matthew 1

I used to think that the genealogy of Jesus was simply the science of who Jesus was related to…how God wove His story throughout time and space.

Today, as I read and prayed, it hit me a bit differently: We all have a family tree.

Even if our family history is broken from a history of divorce, addiction, poor choices, selfishness, pride (you get the idea)—it’s still our family tree. We cannot change where we came from. We can ignore history but we can’t change it. It’s the story of what happened in the past made me who I have become, whether it’s eye color and genetic make-up or personality traits and talent. Whether it’s nature or nurture, it has affected us in some way.

We can’t change the past, but we can change the future. We can’t change our genes (although they CAN change, create mutations, etc) we can imagine who we want to be in the future and work hard to ep from making the same mistakes we see prevalent in our family tree. We prioritize developing our skills and talents, refrain from the bad habits that led to addictive behaviors, take up healthy ideas to keep from repeating behaviors we see were made in our family’s past. We might eat better or exercise more, go to counseling to keep our mind and relationships healthy, make a priority to have time in nature, or spend time in the Word to grow closer to God, which may help everything.

My Prayer

Lord, You know me intimately and knit me together in my mother’s womb. You know every gene, every cell, every mutation that is unseen and unknown. You know the plans that You have for my future. You are all-seeing and all-knowing, and You have all wisdom. You are so wise. Thank You that I can trust You with my yesterdays and my tomorrows. Thank You that even when things were bad, Your hand was in my life, protecting me, equipping me, orchestrating things to bring me to know You.

I know that my family tree is riddled with generations of ungodly habits, and I only need to look in the mirror to find behaviors and character flaws that need healing and changing. Lord, change me.

Help me to see the things that You want to change in me. You know my roots and my branches, and You know what needs to be changed to get to the core of those ugly things that don’t bring You glory or grow Your kingdom.

Teach me to understand what really matters. I want to build on things that impact eternity, not just for me but for those around me—my family, my neighbors, those that I work with or go to church with. I need discernment from You, and strength to not get caught up in other people’s drama. I need to know who is needy for things of heaven, and to be generous with those things. Break the roots of addiction and bad habits that keep me from becoming the best I can be, to do all that You want to do in me, and through me, for Your glory.

Father, remind me that I am Yours. That before I was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, I was Yours. Let my relationship with You always be the most important, and that when things are right in that, the other things will fall into place. I need You. I love You. I want more of You. I’m Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

©2023 words and photo by Marina Bromley, Marina's Kitchen Table. All rights reserved.