Finding God's Presence ~ In This Moment

by Nan Jones   @NanJonesAuthor

Guest Blogger, Marcie Bridges  @Marcie_Bridges

Many of you know that I have been in a personal crisis for the past several months. Never have I been so broken, so fragile, and so totally dependent on the Lord. My dear friend Marcie Bridges, poet extraordinaire, wrote the following poem for me. I received it on a day I was consumed with sorrow and despair. I loved the poem so much that I asked if I could share it. Much to my delight Marcie wrote a devotion surrounding the beautiful thoughts In This Moment illustrates. I'm praying that you, my reader, will be strengthened for the journey by the words of Marcie's heart.

Welcome Marcie!


“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

"But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10

IN THIS MOMENT

Of all the precious little moments in life

Lord, You chose this moment to teach —

To use me and mold me as a potter and clay.

You have given me insight into treasures

Rare, deep, smooth yet rough and steep.

I may not understand all You are showing me

But I choose to dwell here, right now, present

In this moment of truth even though

The way is dark and the future seems bleak.

Of all the hours, minutes and seconds

In the years that I have lived

Lord, Your mercies overflow more abundant

Than I could ever imagine they could.

So here today I rest in You with every little care.

I choose today to live in You,

Trusting You know what is best.

Worries cease, confusion ends, troubles leave the way

Because I find when in You I hide

Peace descends like a dove on wings of grace.

~Marcell Warner Bridges

©April 2015

There are times in life when

just like the potter must push down on the clay to mold it into a special piece of usable pottery, or the carbon is fired and polished to create a beautifully crafted diamond, or the farmer must trim, prune and throw out the old vines to make new ones that will grow delicious fruit

so must God do the refining and renewing in our lives. Yes, it hurts.  It is hard and it is rough. There is no round about way to get to where God wants us at that moment. This season of life is often dark and rocky

BUT GOD —

Gives us the strength to handle it. He brings new mercies every morning to help us get out of bed and plant one foot in front of the other. Even if every step we take that day, the next day and the next is a hard fought one, we are able to take those steps because God has given us the grace to do so.

There are so many days in our lives when we don’t see God working in the background, but He is. He’s always working. Always engaged in finishing and fashioning what He has started in us. Then there are times when He must do a harder work to draw us to Him. To show us we really do need Him. And this is when we become that perfect piece of pottery, the most precious diamond and the most delectable fruit because we chose to let Him do the hardest work in us.

Live in the moment day by day with God. Watch what He will do in and for you and see how He will use you when you let Him craft your spirit and mold you into the person you should be for Him.

A Tweetable to Encourage Others

Where is God in my fiery trial? @Marcie_Bridges offers a glimpse via @NanJonesAuthor. (Click to Tweet) 

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Meet Marcie:
 

Marcell Warner Bridges is wife, mother, and currently a student at Lenoir-Rhyne University studying for her Bachelors of Arts in English. Marcell has been writing poetry since a young age and desires to encourage others in their walk with Christ through the written word. Marcell has been published in several anthologies and frequently shares her work through her blog: Heart Thoughts http://marcieheartthoughts.blogspot.com/