The Walking Wounded: God's Hope for a Struggling MarriageSample

Waking Sleep

Do you think you can ever escape from love? Do you think you can stay away from your home? I don’t force my way into your heart. I pursue you, yes. But I don’t push my way in. And you know this. You know what it is like to be with me and to look for me, yes. 

Do you know how I love to watch you, no matter what you are doing? Do you know I have formed you, just like this, to move with grace? I fill you with grace. I fill you with me. Don’t fret, my dear. Don’t worry about the weariness and the disquiet and the restlessness you feel from the work I’ve given you to do. Practice looking for me during the day, when you are at work, just like you do when you are still, with me. For you know what it is like to be with me.

Know that I am present with you, my darling, even when it feels like I am far. In your work and in your play, there is no place I don’t want to be with you. Don’t focus only on doing your days right, whether or not you are doing a good job of seeing me or looking for me. Choose me by loving what I love. Choose me by continuing to seek me. Choose me by desiring to stay. 

I am here.

I am with you. 

But I am not like you. 

I am bigger than you can know. I am more than strength, more than safety. I am all things. You know me, and I only want to show you more. It is good you miss me when you have gone away. It is good you recognize how your heart yearns for me. But ask me to quiet the fears. Ask me to touch my hand upon your heart and deafen you to thoughts of worry. And let me guard your heart, your eyes, your ears, your imagination, your mind. There are dangers that can turn your desire to escape weariness into an opportunity to run far away from me. 

Be my daughter. Be my girl. Stay. 

Stay awake.

Exercise & Prayer

Deep breath now. Consider a situation today that would tend to make you stressed, anxious, lonely, weak, or insecure. Take a minute . . . can you picture it? Close your eyes. Imagine yourself in that situation. See yourself there. Let all the emotions come . . . now picture Jesus there next to you, actually standing next to you, in the room. Imagine his face, his posture. Listen to what he says to you. Write it down. Ask him to help you remember him today. 

Father, you hold me. You are near me. In all moments, in all trials I face, and in the regular, everyday moments too, you treasure me. I want to be with you. You have written my name in your book, and you have chosen me, your daughter. You call me beloved, dearly loved. I am yours. Guard my wandering heart and body and mind. In Jesus’ name, Amen.