The Promise Land

Exodus 6:5-8

(5) Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. (6) “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. (7) I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. (8) And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’”

LORD, I thank You that You have heard my cry, You have seen my tears, and You know the desires of my heart. I am but dust; never the less You care enough to listen. I thank You that You have remember my helpless estate and provide a way of escape, a way to victory.

LORD, I thank You that You remembered Your covenant. I thank You that it was based only on Your Word and Your promise. I thank You that it does not depend on my actions, my righteousness, or my promises for I could never keep them. I could never earn Your love.

LORD, I thank You that You bring us out from under the yoke of sin. Its curses have weight me down and drain my life. Sin’s lies speak of a future, but steal all hope. As long as I am its slave, I am not free to fellowship with Thee and I am cut off from Your presences, Your blessing, Your righteousness, or Your holiness.

LORD, I thank You that it is You that sets us free from sin. On my own, I could never be good enough, I could never do enough good deeds, nor could I love enough to forgive others or myself. I thank you for breaking the chains that bind our lives. You remove the shackle of sin that keep us trapped in the past, that tell us we are defeated, and have only more sorrows ahead.

LORD, I thank You that You redeem us with outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. Sin left a gaping hole in our soul, which cries out for loved. Yet, its acts demanded that we be found guilty, deserving of death. It created a chasm so wide we could not get back to You. You opened up Your arm on the cross and said, “This is Love,” although we had done nothing to deserve it, You choose to bare our debt. You set before us a priceless gift, that You only required we open. I fall at the foot of that cross and underneath Your blood and cry, “I love You.”

LORD, I thank You that You take me as Your own. Your grace and mercy cover me for I have no justification to be called a child of the Most High and Holy God. That You would give to me the assess of Jesus to come before You, the protection of angels, the power of the Holy Spirit, or the right to say, “Daddy” is more that I can comprehend. You are a good Father, giving good gifts, abundant blessings, and never-ending love.

LORD, I thank You that You are will to be my God and accept my worship. I freely offer You praise and honor. You are unlike any other gods for You alone are living, ever faithful, ever true and never changing. You spoke and created the worlds and heavens. You breathe life in to clay, and brought healing to our body, mind, and souls. You bring kings to power or fall at Your whim. You conquered death and hell. Your power has not diminished.

LORD, I thank You that You have brought me into a promise land of milk and honey. I thank You that You have given it to me as my possession. I thank You that You have given me a hope and a future. My eyes have yet to see it, but it is done none the less for You have sworn that it will come to pass.

I see the giants, curses, and strongholds before me but know that You are with me, and nothing is impossible for You. I struggle to be free from the fear and doubts that blow across my mind, but my feet are planted in Your Word and in Your promises and so I stand in faith. I fall down, but Your Spirit lifts up my hands in worship. My heart still trusts the heart of one that beats within it even if it cannot yet see His hand of provision. Until that time, Your grace is sufficient for the trails. You are only refining and purifying my heart. The results will justify the means.

Kathy Barnes
8-04-10