Ephesians 2:4a

"But God..."

How many times has God "but" into my life? Innumerable! In fact, He's always but-in. As He should; I'm His, I was created by Him, and was purchased with a price. (cf. Acts 20:28) He has every right to intrude into my life, but He doesn't have to. No, He chooses to because He is God. And God is full of mercy, full of grace, and full of lovingkindness. That's why these two words in the Bible are some of my favorite two-word combinations; "But God...".

However, how often do I actually recognize His hand over me? I dare state that it's probably but a fraction of the time. He has saved me from myself in this lifetime more often than I shall ever know. Left to my own devices, I'm a dead man, both physically and spiritually. A Puritan once prayed, "I can destroy but cannot save myself." That's about the extent of my power and control; it's self-destructive.

'Thank you so much, God, for saving me from myself, even when I never knew it was You that intervened. Thank you for your angels that have watched over me, even when I never knew they were there. (cf. Hebrews 13:2) Thank you for breathing life into my being when I was dead, deceptively thinking I could save myself. (cf. Ephesians 2:5) Thank you for making ways to escape from sin when I thought I was trapped with no way out. (cf. I Corinthians 10:13) And thank you for taking me down paths and trails that I never saw on my map of life, but You blazed them ahead of me and steered my foot in those directions. (cf. Proverbs 3:5-6) And now I pray that You would please help me to see more clearly, hear more distinctly and feel more sensitively Your hand over and upon me. I want to live my life today in such a way that my sensors are alert and attuned to Your presence. Not only are You ever over me (cf. Psalm 139:5), but You're in me. (cf. I Corinthians 3:16) I want and need to see You, hear You, and sense You today. I love you, Lord.'