This is the day!

 I was recently asked to share my favorite hymn and scripture verse. There are so many to choose from, right? Am I able to narrow it down to just one? And what if, that was the only hymn - the only verse - for all time? Impossible! Let it not be so! There are different songs and verses that are perfect for different times in our lives. While I love some of the old time hymns, I have also fallen in love with some of the newer, more contemporary praise music as well. And my favorite scripture verse from three years ago is different from the one I cling to today. I am glad to have them all available.

One song. One verse. One style of art. One style of writing. Like - only one devotional book written. Only one. Of anything. Can you imagine?

What if God stopped at the rose and not went on to daffodils, tulips, violets or hydrangeas? What if He stopped at the pine and not the oak, apples but no peaches?

“O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.” Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And this is where you come in. You have been gifted with certain abilities. And you are called to share those abilities. Because someone out there needs to hear it from you. Your style. Your way. Imagine the world as described in these opening paragraphs. Just one. Of anything. But God made a variety in order to touch lives, reach every kind of people in every time and place, in every chapter of life. And we have been created to do likewise. To contribute. To someone. You have been equipped to add something to the mix.

This is your call to action. To stop being afraid. To stop hesitating and doubting. And to put the love of God out there in your unique, and yet powered by the Holy Spirit, way. Someone is waiting to be awakened to the marvelous love of God. This is the day…

I’m waiting

 

The morning coffee takes time to brew. Grandma’s soup needs to simmer. Tea needs to steep. And bread dough needs time to rise.

When I write a blog post or devotional, or start creating a notecard design - it all starts with a little piece of something that has crossed my mind. Yet I only see it in part. But if I sit with it, it starts developing and taking shape. It’s in the sitting that it develops. And not by my own efforts. It is God. But I have to make myself present, available, and open to believe God will speak to me in order to receive the riches of the message. 

Writers, artists, and yes, the preacher’s sermon all take time too. They don’t just sit down one day and quickly hammer something out. It always starts with just a piece, a fragment that gets revisited time and time again - allowing God to work and develop His message.

Whether its the soup or the sermon, these things become richer, deeper, more favorful with time. More memorable. More meaningful. Filling your senses. If you really want the fullness of it, you need to commit to it. Mostly time.

And so, what am I leading you to with all this? I am pleading the case of spending true meditative time in God’s Word. Read a few verses until something catches your eye. And pause. Jot down a thought as you reflect on why God would nudge you with that particular phrase or verse. Ask God what does it mean to you personally in this time and place of your life. Why did that certain phrase speak… something caught your attention in that moment. Engage your senses. Visualize. Listen. Let God’s Word simmer. Steep. Rise!

Sit with it like you would your morning coffee. Like your first real sigh upon arriving at the lake. Take it all in. Let it linger. Let it speak to you. The Word of God can give you a similar peaceful, calming, even joyful feeling. You will miss it if you rush through your Bible reading for the sake of saying you read your Bible. But, oh, the wonder and wonderful sensation of having holy God reveal something personally to you if we let Him!

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Noteworthy

I have a prayer list. Perhaps you do too. In your head or in a book or tablet. I fervently pray for many needs in and around me. And I certainly rejoice when there is a wonderful outcome. I am so glad to run a line through that request on my list. But then… how quickly it gets forgotten. That prayer that got answered by the intervention of a loving God! And yet I find myself moving on quickly to the next request. I do more asking than rejoicing. How can this be? This pattern of always wanting more (even with our sincerest intentions for the good of another) and so quickly forgetting what has been received. 

It made me think of the evening news. Drama and desperation stories one after another - and then a 30-second piece of good news. Oh, how I hate that format. And I certainly don’t want to present that same thing to my God!

I think I need a start and maintain an answered prayer list. I wonder how that would affect my daily walk if I reviewed that every morning. Start filling my journal books with answered prayers! It makes me excited right now just thinking of the possibilities. What if we thought more about all the answered prayers and watched and waited in anticipation for God to add to that list? 

Safe travels. Thank You, Jesus!

Successful surgery. Yay, God!

Relationship restored. Hallelujah!

When I say, “God is faithful” - does that mean I can expect, anticipate more from Him? God has helped before and God will help again.

Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! For a lifetime, a whole world history that extends beyond time and space - God has been answering prayers left and right. Have you seen it? Experienced it? Recall to memory now…

“May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.” Psalms‬ ‭20‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let me tell you about my Jesus

In recent weeks, we have been hearing all about the Holy Spirit coming in power and enabling the disciples to speak boldly, confidently, and passionately about the good news of Jesus Christ.

Lord, You already see me backing away from preaching boldly to the lost and unsaved. That would certainly take an act of the Holy Spirit to have me, as shy and quiet as I am, speak out like those disciples. I am just not wired that way. But I also know that Christ is my Sufficiency and the Holy Spirit is always around to direct and equip. It would most certainly have to be You making me speak with such confidence and passion to an unbeliever. Yet I know You can, would, and will empower me if and whenever You choose.

Speaking boldly and confidently does not mean head-bashing, loud and with insistent urgency. A calm approach with certainty and confidence - can also be effective in leaving seeds of faith. Whispers can get someone’s attention.

“And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” - 1 Kings 19:12 NLT

“… and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” - 1 Kings 19:12 KJV

It is comforting to me that the Lord can be found and heard through a soft, gentle, quiet voice. 

“If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭NRSVUE‬‬

And another passage to consider:

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.” Psalms‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬

And my favorite, most relatable verse:

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary, men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”- Acts 4:13 NIV

Let’s not get intimated by how some share the good news. God has each one of us created and in place and He reaches others by all sorts of methods. Be only attentive to His directing of you. He knows how You are knitted together. He knows how to empower you to make impact beyond your own abilities. God knows how…

May His will be done.

 

OTW (on the way)

 

A “little” big prayer that people would be drawn into Christian action because they know the wisdom and power doesn’t rest on them alone. A prayer for the dreamers, that they pursue, and for those with visions forming in their heads - bring their ideas to fruition. A prayer for heart-winning miracles to happen. Lord, I may not see the results of this prayer, still, I ask for a lifting up of hearts and hands to You, with a desire to show up and get on the move about something You have placed on their heart. May they not easily shake You off and dismiss You. May there be leaps of faith as well as leaps of fire - for with God the possibilities are endless. Again, I know, Lord, You are speaking to me as well. I pray I don’t hesitate in obedience because I can’t be secure about the process or outcome. It’s only scary if I focus on my human limitations. Otherwise, with God all things, all kinds of things, are possible. May we not so quickly poo-poo dreams and visions - the ones God plants in our heads and wants us to pursue - but counting on Him and His all-sufficiency added to our willingness.

Show up. That’s the message of the day. Stop limiting yourself because you only see yourself. Remember now that the Holy Spirit is your plus-plus. It doesn’t matter that you are weak, lacking skill, ability, knowledge and flawed. The Holy Spirit extends your reach. Your words can make a greater impact than you could ever imagine and your actions can have a ripple effect way beyond your wildest dreams. Every believer has been breathed upon and so, every believer is capable of …. More.

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses (to tell people about Me) both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1: 8

God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us. - Ephesians 3:20 MSG

Prayer plus

Our Father…

Creator and Birther of you and me, in His heart and mind long before the world began.

Who is in heaven…

But also with us in the here and now. Closer than our next breath.

Hallowed by Your Name…

Name above all names. Great are You Lord, and greatly to be praised.

Your kingdom come…

My kingdom go. My finite ideas and abilities and desire for control.

Your will be done…

Your plan, Your desire - in and through me. Through us all.

On earth as it is in heaven….

Everywhere. At all times and in all places.

Give us this day our daily bread…

Sufficient in every way for this present day.

And forgive us our debts…

Sins, trespasses, transgressions - every single one.

As we forgive our debtors…

With the same completeness You offer us.

And lead us not into temptation…

Do not test my faith without Your Holy Spirit in me and by my side. The promised Helper.

But deliver us from evil…

Your protection from the devil’s wily ways. 

For Yours in the kingdom and the power and the glory…

 As it was in the beginning. Is now and ever shall be. God above all things, seen and unseen, mightier, greater, wiser, most powerful, beyond comprehension. There is none like You. Unending…

Thanks and praises.

Honor, glory, and blessing.

Reverence and respect.

Adoration and awe.

Worship and love.

Amen.