"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy..." (Psalm 16:11).

Much may be said about the effect of the presence of God upon the path of life, but recently this is what I have to say about it.  Step aside and let God show the way.  Too often we let fear, loneliness, anger, the past, burdensome expectations and the like show the way.  We start stepping up and in and everywhere.  We step up to protect, in to intervene, over to the future to forecast it, into the past to solve it, and into the present to engage it.  In all our stepping, we step everywhere but aside, until a certain reality steps onto our path and stops our next step.  The reality is that God is already there.

Certainly I am not alone in requiring this reminder, but it is marvelously given to me when I need it.  When unsure of which way is what, I imagine my steps have most resembled those of a scared rabbit zigzagging her way down the path.  It happened not so long ago.  I had reason to fear, reason to protect and intervene.  Rightly I stepped up and in, here and there until this reality, stronger than my stride, stopped my sturdy-shoed feet and relief followed on the heel.

When we cry out, “Where do I turn next?” and “Where does it end?” God crosses the path we are on and shows us the path He is on.  It is where He is.  It is affected by fullness of joy.  It is the path of life.

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“…how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:11).

Jesus had been talking to His disciples about asking and receiving…even asking with hungry persistence.  “Ask, seek, and knock,” He says, “for fish, eggs and loaves of bread.”  I am certain that we all know something of this.  Haven’t we all asked of God, at times, with the persistence of someone starving for bread?  I have, and may I say, I hope that you have too?  It is the way the children of God come to understand the Father’s “how much more” type of giving to those who ask Him.

As our hunger deepens, so does our asking.  If you have had to wait to receive that good thing for which you have asked, then you know this.  I wonder if, when the waiting is long, God is letting our hunger build until what we have asked for is no longer enough, until our hunger exceeds it.  The progression of our hunger goes something like this: we ask, we wait, we grow impatient, we may manipulate (even just a wee bit!), which can become confusing, but will become, for those still asking, a hunger big enough to be satisfied with much more than the good “fish, eggs and bread”  for which we have asked.  How much more?  As much more as to begin to satisfy one of our hungriest questions: “Why?”  As much more as our heavenly Father gives…and He gives the Holy Spirit who distributes to us every good thing planned by the Father and purchased by the Son, and who satisfies us as centrally and practically as bread, fish and eggs.  

Take in everything He gives and your hunger will be satisfied.

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“…a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head” (Mark 14:3).

I discovered that I have an alabaster flask!  You have one too.  You can’t see it, but if you could it would be shaped like your heart.  It is designed to hold what is most costly, most pure, most fragrant—priceless—and to be altogether broken and spilt over Jesus.

In Mary’s time, an alabaster flask filled with fragrant oil would be treasured by a bride for one purpose—that some day she would break it open and empty it out on the feet of the one asking for her in marriage.  It was a way of saying, “Yes.” 

Jesus has asked for you.  Say, “Yes” with all your heart.  Take your alabaster flask and never mind those who would put a price on it, as they did on Mary’s.  They do not understand pricelessness.  Break your flask open and anoint Him with all that is in you and all that you have.  It may look like a waste to some, but not to the Bridegroom.  He is filled with joy to overflowing when His Bride says “Yes,” knowing that what is priceless only keeps its value if it is purely given. 

Bride of Christ, your alabaster flask is filled with priceless oil, the essence of the Spirit.  Pour out on Him what He has put in you; nothing more, nothing less.  Not a drop will be wasted or undervalued.

By: Carolyn Roehrig