The Right Start

I just realized something.  Well actually a couple of things, so bear with me as I ramble a bit.  The first thing I noticed is that over the last few months I’ve spent some time praying in the morning, (meaning I did listen to the sermons of a pastor who was at our church until recently).  One of the things he taught was that we should be in prayer daily.  That’s nothing new, but he consciously encouraged us to actively pray every day.  I’ll have to make sure I share that with him, I’m sure he’ll get a laugh out of it.

Secondly, I’ve noticed that the format, or maybe more the content, of my morning prayer really does impact my day.  Let me share my findings.  Over the last few months there have been issues which have been heavy on my heart.  Concerns over friends’ health, worry about the relationships of family members, and the direction certain members of my immediate family are headed, and their success in daily life.

There have been days where that morning prayer time has been focused solely on those heavy subjects.  They’re important and God does need to know about them through my voice and my heart.

Other days, I’ve focused on thanking God for the abundance He’s given me.  The love shared by family and friends, the ability to provide food and shelter for myself and my wife and son.  The money, time and skills to help those less fortunate than I.  For His intervention into a situation or resolution of a difficult time.  Basically, a time giving God praise for His amazing love and grace that He shows me every day.  I will ask specifically for intervention into a difficult situation, but it is not by any stretch the focus of my conversation with God.

In both scenarios, I spend a couple of minutes asking for His guidance and protection for family, friends, church leaders, and the leaders of the city, country and the nations of the world.

Now, the days where I focus only on the difficulties or simply forget this morning time with God, those day seems to drag, and I lack a certain energy to traverse the day.  In other words, those concerns are a drain on me.

The days where I take time to thank God for all that He’s done and given me, there’s a certain pep to my step.  I’m more energetic and see most situations in a much more positive light.

I think this part of Paul’s letter to the Christian church in the city of Philippi sums up the idea I’m trying to express

Philippians 4: 4-9 ⁴ Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! ⁵ Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. ⁶ Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. ⁷ Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. ⁸ From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. ⁹ Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you.

By starting a day with a thankful heart, it gives you appreciation of what you DO have rather than a focus of what you don’t or what you need and/or want.  I’ve decided that my days will start with giving thanks.   I’d ask that you give this a try as well.  See how things go for just 30-days.  Initially it’ll be very difficult, but as each day passes, you’ll find it easier.  By the end of that time, I think you’ll find it comes much easier and I suspect that your days will wind up being just a bit more positive.  I’d even wager that there’s a lot more for which to be thankful than you could ever imagine.

Start today and let me know how it goes.

The Great Escape

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you that isn’t common for people. But God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.

 I was out on Facebook the other day, and one of my friends posted “I’m not going to ask what else could go wrong!” I had to laugh – clearly he was at what he thought was his limit. I don’t think there’s one of us who hasn’t been through that at one point or another in our lives. In fact I suspect that we’ve encountered “enough” multiple times.

It’s funny though, just when you think you’ve reached your breaking point and one more thing will push you over the edge, something changes. It could be that the situation totally resolves itself. Magically, you’re picked up and transported to a tropical island (in my case a gorgeous mountain stream overflowing with trout). Maybe you get a call from a friend, or a few friends, who tell you that you’ve been on their mind lately and they just wanted to check on you. No matter – the situation changes, and that’s the escape talked about here.

The word ‘temptation’ is used in the translation I prefer reading, but if you prefer some other translations, use the word ‘trial’. (which in this case means ‘test’ and I think that fits better). You will be tested from time to time – your faith, your beliefs, your dependency on Him. The thing is, in those tests, He also knows your abilities. He knows your tensile strength (the amount of pressure you can take before you break) and He will keep you just under that point. Plus, with each test, you grow stronger.

Now when I first started thinking about this whole situation, I was scared. I thought, “Wait, so with each test I grow strong in my abilities which means that the next test will be …” (you see where I’m going).  However, that means my relationship with Him has grown stronger and I am better able to not only help myself, but help others as they may struggle under the strain.

I don’t look forward to the next trial, but I know when it comes, He has strengthened me. “Father, I may face difficult times, but I believe Your promise of rest and relief. Let me find the strength and courage through You to endure this trial.”

Lost in the Storm

John 20:26-27  After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them.  Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them.  He said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here.  Look at my hands.  Put your hand into my side.  No more disbelief.  Believe!”

It’s so easy to question something that’s not right there in front of us – or a concept that’s new.  I can remember a time that unless you could show me that it was going to work, I didn’t believe you – and in fact, even if I saw it working, I questioned if there wasn’t some gimmick powering it behind the scenes.  I’ve been told I had a bad attitude or that I was a doubting Thomas.

If this is you at any level, the idea of faith in God is a concept that’s harder to grab a hold of than a wet bar of soap in a hurricane.  Each time you mind begins to settle in around and embrace it, it pops up and the wind blows it down the path a bit further.  This has been something I’ve struggled with for a great deal of my adult life.

As I read the passage from John, I realize that I’m not the only one that has experienced this (oh, I knew it before reading that – there are very few of us, if any, who haven’t had a doubt at one point or another).  Thomas was around for some amazing God moments, yet he still doubted the power of God through Jesus Christ.

Earlier, I used the analogy of grabbing a bar of soap in a hurricane.   If you think about some of the difficult times you’ve gone through, it could be said they were like storms blowing through your life and the soap is your faith.  If we don’t focus on keeping a hold of our faith in the worst of storms, it’ll just pop right out of our hands and be caught by the storm.  “Father, I am so weak at times and I doubt You.  In those times of weakness, give me courage and strength to life my eyes to You and believe. Amen”

I Held His Hand

Isaiah 41:13 I am the Lord your God, who grasps your strong hand, who says to you, Don’t fear; I will help you.

I’ve struggled to put down onto paper (well paper of sorts) how deeply I was touched by a very special woman in my life who recently passed away. I only met her a little over 4 years ago in 2010 – joining her family when I married her granddaughter that same year.

She accepted me right into the family as her grandson, and we had some wonderful conversations about her work for a local landmark company and how she met her husband. We’d talk about her brothers and her mom. At times the stories would lag – seems like those memories were filed deep in her mind and accessing them took a little effort.

We’d also get onto the subject of what I was doing for a living and where I was. I didn’t share with her that sales were difficult, or that as I collected money in the rougher parts of the city, I (and my wife) had some concerns about my safety. She’d never really say much about it, but I could tell she was a bit concerned – not just about my ability to take care of her granddaughter, but also about me.

At some point during these conversations, she’d reach out her hand and I’d take it.  I’d comment about how cold it was, and she’d laugh and then hold tight as we continued our conversation. Reassurance would fill my heart, and by the end of the conversation, I knew all would be fine at some point.

As we prepared to celebrate her life, I had an opportunity to look back on how she impacted my life, and realized that I was holding His hand as I held hers. I am so very thankful for our conversations and the wisdom and love shared – even in silence.   “Father God, thank you for the time I had with Grandmom and the love she shared from her heart and from You. Amen”