Aunt Shirley

Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
                                                                                                John 14:21

What more is there? Oh Lord Jesus, that is all I want in all of life. I want You to love me and manifest Yourself to me. Tell me how to best keep Your commandments today. I live for Your love.

My Aunt Shirley is 96 years old and has always been my favorite aunt.  She defines classy, and even at 96, her mind was sharp as a tack.  I say "was" because yesterday she had a massive stroke and is in a hospital.  Her worst fear has been realized:  she has been incapacitated by a stroke, but not killed.  She has lost bladder and bowel control, and her left side is completely paralyzed, although it appears her mind is still thinking and aware.  Her daughter, a believer, asks that we pray for mercy -- without saying that the merciful thing here might be that God would take her home.  I hope and pray that my aunt knows Jesus as her Savior.  I think there is a good chance that she does, but being from an older generation, she may not use the same verbiage to discuss it that I do.  (And truthfully, although she is my favorite aunt, I am not personally that close to her.)

Anyway, I think about Aunt Shirley, so ready to go home, and now right on the brink of eternity.   Assuming she spiritually ready, what a glorious thing!

Her race is run, and it is now time to know Jesus fully, not dimly.  To know His love and for Him to be fully manifested.  Isn't that really what we all ache for?  Doesn't even Scripture say that all of creation groans for Him, for Him to come back and rule, to take back what is His?

I know I do.  I ache for Him, to know Him more fully.  And I suspect that a lot of the things I chase after in this life are really pathetic substitutes.  When I am more careful about the imaginings of my mind and the ponderings of my heart, I realize that there are many things going on in my inner man that, really, He is the answer to, if I could only grasp that.

So today, this is my prayer:  that Jesus would show me how to keep His commandments TODAY.  That TODAY, I would better know His love for me and that He would manifest Himself to me.  Give me this day my daily bread, Father!  Just today, I want to know You better!