Regular Challenge

We commonly battle being consistent with our "quiet times," "devotions,"  "time with the Lord," or whatever name we use for time alone with the God of the Scriptures. Developing this holy habit has its challenges.

We sit and the phone rings, or we think of the phone call we forgot to make. We excuse ourselves for just a minute while we quickly complete a task. Once out of our quiet place, unwashed dishes and unfinished jobs seemed to have signs "You could finish this quickly. Now."

Then if we have little ones at home, we hear "Mom... Mom... Mom." Chubby hands pull our jeans and innocent faces pull our eyes away from focused time where we learn God's ways.

As a single person then later a mother of young children, I was often frustrated by not having a regular quiet time, then when I finally sat to open my bible, distractions kept popping up, keeping my eyes darting and my heart hostage.

I found help from many others who walked ahead of me. I will share ideas I found in the next blog. Meantime, perhaps you can share what you've learned too.




For Your Consideration

Is there any thing that keeps you from meeting regularly with the Savior? What practical steps might you take to overcome it?

What have you found that helps you have a consistent devotional life? What works for you? I'd love to hear your ideas.

Eucharisteo

I recently read A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. She  beautifully writes that accepting grace, experiencing joy, and giving thanks are all a part of appreciating what Jesus Christ offers us at Table.

Giving thanks, eucharisteo, intentionally observes life's details and looks for God's invisible footsteps.  Ann's uncommon phrases arrested me to experience her delight and frustration. Whether her circumstances were ugly or beautiful, her eucharitsteo (giving thanks) always led her to encounter God's presence.

Ann gave me a magnifying glass that reveals details that I'd stopped seeing. The simple discipline of thanksgiving is easy to overlook. But, as I practice jotting down my reasons for thanks, I become more observant, see God's finger -- tracing love -- even in shadows.  It brings light and fresh joy.

If you haven't read this book, consider doing so. Her style is unusual, poetic, and will provoke you to draw close and discover Christ's table set for you in surprising places. The Lord spreads His nourishment not only in organized gatherings of  the church. He spreads His table for you in your everyday places.


For Your Consideration

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)

Is it difficult for you to give thanks in life's routine?

Would you consider keeping a thanksgiving journal for 21 days? Notice the results and decide if it's worth continuing.

Ruts or Rhythms

After I shared that I would ask God to dislodge me from unproductive ruts this year, my husband commented. Ruts reminded him of confinement. I pondered. How about productive ruts, then? Don't we need ruts to streamline most of our activities?

But the more I thought, I liked rhythm over rut. Rhythm has musical connotations and I love music. Dance. Movement. Change. Even when we practice, repetitively, to master dance steps or calligraphic strokes, practice scales or conquer syncopation, rhythm's melody lifts us above the mundane. It reminds us that we are part of God's grand symphony.

In a rut, we easily lose perspective. Our spirits wilt and enthusiasm wanes. But, when we look for the Creator's purposes in our rhythmic activity, we climb out of our pothole. When we remember God's purpose even in mundane work, we revive, become more productive, persevere in our activity.

So, as I practice God's presence in 2012, I'm asking for new ways of reconfiguring the ordinary. I'm listening for the Holy Spirit's song.

It's bringing new delight in the Lord. Purposefully listening for my Jesus' rhythms, I'm drawn into His dance.

I trust His lead. I can learn these steps. This rhythm is no rut.


For Your Consideration

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17, NIV)

How might giving frequent thanks in your routine give you ears to hear God's rhythm for you?

What does it mean for you to speak and act in the name of the Lord Jesus?

Failed Resolutions

The year is turning to a new number and my new year resolutions are still avoiding paper.

I've written resolutions, thought them, planned them, and left many lying unattended. They gather dust on the desk of procrastination. Ink clearer than follow through.

Guilt snaps at my heels and I feel like I've failed. Good intentions waves as 2011 leaves.

I take myself and fumbled follow-through to my Lord. After all, He knew the outcome before I did. Knew the challenges I would face and the strength I would need. He knows the thoughts and intents of my heart and loves me as much as in 2010 or any year of perceived success.

How does my Lord see my heart? How does HE evaluate my actions?
Will I let Him instruct me from both perceived failure and success? Will I embrace Love patiently drawing me close, melting away guilt and put downs?

Dearest Lord, please help me and my friends wisely assess the year.

Help us see with Your eyes. Gain sight in Your light. Help us accept the things we cannot change, give us courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. (From Reinhold Niebuhr) We pray this in Your name, O Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Remember Me

On several occasions, my Sittu (Lebanese grandmother) would say, "Remember me when I am gone."

She listened to our disappointments, gave us sound advice, and lived what she taught. She was creative, wise, and knew how to stretch food for yet another dinner guest. She had definite ideas how things were to be done, and she could measure a person's character at a glance.

Her time management taught us "Never go empty handed to the kitchen," and included planning the number of rows a day to complete so her crochet projects could be finished on time. She completed beautiful, warm blankets for her twenty grandchildren and their babies.

Generous love evoked our admiration and an unconscious desire to be like her. It was easy to remember her after she left for heaven.

Some of Jesus' last words to his disciples were "Do this in remembrance of me." The Last Supper, representing his death for us and our hope of being reunited by the resurrection, helps us remember Him.

Because of who Jesus was and what He did, we remember with deep gratitude.

Then as Jesus' generous love evokes more of our own, as He builds His character into us, we remember.

For His sake. For our sake. And also for the sake of the world He loved.

Song of Life, Song of Death

 

Still fingering the passage of my mother from this life to the one her Lord Jesus promised, I don't have too many words.

But my cousin, Elizabeth A. Mitchell, another writer and speaker, wrote a beautiful piece on her blog.  Her daughter-in-love labored to give birth to her first grandchild while my Mom labored to be birthed into her new life.

I couldn't have said it as well as Elizabeth, so here are her words from blog.journeyfortheheart.com

Journey for the Heart Devotional: Song of Life, Song of Death:

 “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full” John 10:10.


 Life and death walk hand in hand like comrades sharing a narrow path, pressed against each other, inhaling and exhaling the very same air.

This week I caught them both, peering at each other, thriving in the cramped confines of the same cubicle. A daughter of mine, grafted into my heart three years ago, labored to draw breath, battled to bear down, every ounce of her given to the grand cause of bringing her daughter into existence.

Before my eyes our miracle emerged, pale skinned, perfect lips, quivering cry. Then distinctly I heard the strains of a new song, for my granddaughter cried, and my heart plays still her first magical lullaby.


Seven days pass and I watched as death wrapped its arms around life, and life triumphed over death. As my aunt struggled for breath, she labored to leave the world behind and wrestled to reach the other side. Death bore down, but could not steal her away for the only part it grasped was her empty shell.


Beating within her heart was life that was made eternal by the Savior of her soul. We had watched our aunt live well, serving him whole-heartedly, and sharing him continuously. Now we witnessed as she emerged into life everlasting.


I watched two women make their way into their new world this week. The tiny one has just begun her days on earth. The wise one has just begun her forever in heaven. My prayer is that the first will imitate the footsteps of the second and choose to spend her years devoted to the one who is, “The way, the truth and the life” John 14:6.


Elizabeth A. Mitchell

Gentle Whisper

What would happen if the Lord were to "pass by" you?

Elijah, hunted by Jezebel, ran to the mouth of the cave and covered himself with his cloak. Moses, hiding in the desert, took off his shoes and covered his face. And you?

What do you do when you sense the Presence of the Almighty?

Are you able to be still and know the weight of His presence? Do you cover your head, your face? Do you drop to your knees or lie prostrate? Does awe snatch your breath? Does hope return when you hear the gentle whisper above your swirling circumstances?

Beyond tornado and hurricane, flood and grief, that gentle whisper speaks. Our eardrums have to tune out the noises so our heartstrings can reverberate with God's sound.

Then years beyond we discover the Lord did not merely pass by with the weight of His presence. He stayed. And taught us music only learned as we listen beyond crisis for the gentle whisper.

For Your Consideration:

Prayerfully read 1 Kings 19:11-15 and Psalm 46

What is making it hard for you to tune out the demands and listen for God's gentle whisper.

If you could do that, what might God say to you?