JULY 9 – FOCUSED APPRECIATION

 You carefully arranged me from your materials, and skillfully wove me into a unique person before I was even formed. And, as you created me you wrote my story, blessing me; blessing the work you would do through me. (Psalm 139:15-16)

                  Do you live in the reality of this passage? Do you recognize that this promise from God is also reality for each of the people you will encounter today? If so, should you not focus on helping each of your people to recognize and appreciate that he or she has a destiny; a story to complete? With this understanding, your people will be encouraged to seek relationship with their Creator; emboldened to pursue their unique story. Then, they too can act with courage and power; real authority.

                   The Psalmist understood – your relationship with God begins long before you are even aware of Him. Although the writer can’t see and touch the Lord, he knows that God’s hand has shaped him into a unique creation He deems to be very good. The hopeful confidence of knowing he was destined to participate with God to finish the story of his life – and that he could not fail – gave him the confidence to overcome his fears (verse 23) and to boldly pursue God’s vision (verse 24).

                   Invest focused attention on each of your people so they can pursue the story God has written for their lives.