Who would think that when I wrote this Shabbat encouragement on Tuesday morning that the “Oh God” title would have such a different meaning then than it does this morning, the day after the Mass/mass shooting in Minneapolis. On Tuesday morning the words welcomed His peace as I was settling in to give prayers of thankfulness and praise. Now, just a couple days later, they are a plea for His help. Such is the nature of prayer and of our dynamic relationship with our Creator.

The tragic, yet real world ironic timing of the writings is not to be ignored. News of the shootings sent me reeling, knocked from that place of peace. All the more reason to send the intended encouragement, to emphasize the urgent need for prayer, and more prayer, the both/and necessity of seeking Him incessantly and to walk with Him always. This world does not equip us for what is needed. Only He can do that and we can only withstand these times with Him by our side.

As we reflect on strengthening our prayer walk and pray for those suffering intimate loss, may we be fortified in our faith and work even harder to brighten His Light in us, and so, able to bring it to others.

Tuesday morning’s reflections:

Last Shabbat as part of Rabbi Nathan’s sermon he asked us what we do as our prayer time with God. The first thing that popped into my head was I look out the window, which I do as soon as the shades are up. This time with God is only limited by my needs and the needs of others that involve me, so the time and length varies depending on the day.

This morning, as I write this, is the next part of that answer which is, weather permitting, I go out on my deck, sit in a comfy chair, and stare at nature’s beauty, again limited only by other needs that cannot be deferred. I just did that and as I sat down the words that just sprang from my lips were, “Oh God”, as in a sense of relief and awe.

Prayer like this is a conversation. At this moment it is reflective. Sometimes I’m asking for help, or praising, or listening, or thanking. It’s interactive, intimate, and yet, awe-inspiring, gratifying, fulfilling.

When I start my days like this, so quiet, eyes momentarily closed, with Him in my heart and mind so vividly, the breeze soothing my body and soul, I am praying. This is how it starts.

This way is not every day. Some mornings I have to jump out of bed, get ready for meetings and deal with all that the day will bring as it slams at me first thing in the morning. Work schedules, school schedules, unplanned illness, dogs needing out. The endless list is real.

Those days never feel like this, never seem able to gain this sense of complete peace, even when I pray later in the day, unless I can wrangle some morning prayer time into the typical realities, even if short and happens a little later in the morning. For me, that strong foundation early is critical to being able to order my priorities for the rest of the day, God first and foremost at the helm.

When I ground myself physically and spiritually in the morning, I receive the strength to tackle what lies ahead. This discipline allows the prayers that come after to have a base of support that fortifies them rather than their being ad hoc. The prayers that follow morning prayer become part of a feast rather than side dishes.

A morning like this is that special gift that reminds me of the ideal. The sense of His strength and my resulting shalom that come from this morning’s ability to stay with Him so completely will provide my encouragement to get through the challenges ahead, today and cumulatively every day.

This sense of Him motivates me to want to connect with Him, to start each day with God at its center as a crucial part of a life where we actually can feel blessed with His Presence. We become able to draw on this reality in our spirit even on those days where we tend to forget that truth as when times get tough.

Were I not writing this Shabbat encouragement, next I would be quietly listening, to the sounds of nature, marveling at the beauty of the birds in flight, their unique calls, noticing the rhythm of the waves almost like breathing, feeling the gentle caress of the cool breeze. This deeply felt sensory experience always leads to words of thankfulness, a sense of peace, a feeling of being so amazingly loved and cared for by our Creator.

There’s no script for these times, no specific order of when or what. Yet if left to my own devices, depending on the time I have, the morning will include some of the Shacharit morning service, the Psalms, the Daily Davar, and lots of conversation with God. It’s at the same time humbling with our Father and intimate with Yeshua.

Given my usual schedule, the amount of this morning’s time with God doesn’t happen every morning. When it does it’s not only a gift but it’s like bottling up a summer beach day to remember during the blustery times in winter. The memory of this feeling strengthens me for those other days.

No matter what I can do each morning, whether like today which seems perfect, or on the days when I’m rushed, traveling, or forgetful, I try to make time for the simple words of thankfulness that I’m alive, “Thank you, God, for returning my soul to my body”. If I just take time for that much my mind just takes me naturally to thanking God for so much more. I feel grateful while I brush my teeth or rush off to whatever. Despite the challenges of life, my heart and mind, my soul, want to cling to Him.

That ability to let your mind go to Him throughout the day always works, no matter how busy you are. We all have so many times of transition between tasks, times of silence, emptiness. The truth is we can transport ourselves to our relationship with Him endlessly throughout the day by just remembering to do so!

Once we start this way of thinking, it’s amazing how often we are reminded to thank Him, like for everything! I walk around saying “Thank you, God!” a lot(!) for so many little things! The fact that they’re little is how it makes Him feel so close. That sense of thankfulness then takes on a life of its own, for we begin to see Him everywhere!

Each day has countless blessings!! That is the big WOW! You start realizing how interactive He is in the smallest of things which is so overwhelming to think about that you are reminded how He is really here, with you! He loves us so much and has infinite capacity to be with us down to the smallest detail. It becomes almost impossible to not think of Him!

At the UMJC conference this year I bought another necklace from Moishe, my favorite Israeli vendor. The necklace has a silver squarish box within which is the V’ahavta. Throughout the day I will cup it in my hand lovingly and recite its words (in Hebrew too!) in my head:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might. These words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children. You will speak of them when you are in your home and when you go away, when you lie down and when you rise up. You will bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. You shall inscribe them as a sign upon your house and upon your gates.

. . .  That you shall do all my commandments and be holy unto your God . . . ”

This day is turning into a gem of all gems for it’s still delightfully cool outside, it’s still early, and I’m off to take a jog. As many of you know, this is often the time of some of my deepest inspirations as I play Messianic Jewish music while listening to Him. I can’t wait to see what He’s got in store for me today! It was already Dayenu!!

Make time for Him. Your life will be transformed.

Shabbat shalom.

Diane

P.S. A wonderful jog time with HaShem. Per usual He did not disappoint. For most of the time I was able to listen to the Daily Davar. What a blessing. “For some reason” toward the end of my jog the cell service was too weak to get the Daily Davar so I switched to my Messianic Jewish playlist and without looking I “randomly” picked a song. It was “Shema Yisrael” by Micha’el Ben David, third (not first) on the list. The V’ahavta is a continuation of the Shema. God winks, His Love drops, are the best.