Falling

I was reading a story from a magazine called Lifeline when a little story jumped out at me.  It was the story of a woman working in a child care center.  She came into the office to find a little girl with a skinned knee getting some first aid and TLC.  She asked her, "Did you fall down?"  The girl replied with tears in her eyes - "Yes I did."  The woman asked again, "Did you get up again?"  The girl responded with a hesitant smile, "Yes, I did!"  The woman then assured her, "Getting up again is the most important part of falling!"  The girl smiled left the office smiling proudly. 

A simple story, yet so profound!  Did I fall?  Did I get up again? That's the most important part!

Proverbs 25:26 reminds me that "A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring."  And  Jude 24 reminds me that God is able to keep me from falling.  Unfortunately, I don't always rely on Him and may suddenly find myself on the ground, figuratively speaking.  What then?  Do I give up and lie there, wallowing in the mud and letting myself be trampled underfoot?  Or do I get up again and again seek God's guidance and strength? 

Did I fall?  Did I get up again?  That's the most important part of falling!

Father, I am so grateful that you are able to keep me from falling!  May I remember to trust you and look to you for guidance as I travel this path called life.  And if I fall, may I not lie there wallowing in the mud, but quickly get up again in Your strength and power.  Thank you, Father!

Very Good!

I was reading a story in Guideposts this morning and something jumped out at me.  The person was talking about the creation story as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis and pointed out that as He created, God repeatedly looked at His creation and "saw that it was good".

Do I do this? As I move through my day, completing my tasks, do I stop to look at the completed task and see that it is good? Or do I just keep focused on what is yet to be done, not even stopping to acknowledge what has been accomplished? This is so easy for me to do!  And I wonder why sometimes I can work hard all day and feel like I haven't accomplished anything!

Another possibility - do I find fault with everything I do because there are yet things that will make it better? If God had done that, you would have seen him saying something like this after he created light - "That's not worth much until there are plants and animals to support." Can I follow God's example and appreciate the completion of each step in a complex task?

Bottom line, am I willing to appreciate a job well done?  For some reason, it seems so much easier to appreciate the efforts of others than my own!  It seems to me that following God's example here could be good for me in a lot of ways!

Looking Back

This morning, I was reading from Luke when this passage stood out to me -

Jesus said to another man, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Let the people who are dead bury their own dead. You must go and tell about the kingdom of God." Another man said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to my family." Jesus said, "Anyone who begins to plow a field but keeps looking back is of no use in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:59-62 NCV)

That last sentence just jumped out at me.  "Anyone who begins to plow a field but keeps looking back is of no use in the kingdom of God."  Of course if you're plowing a field and not watching where you're going, you're likely to create all sorts of a mess.  How foolish!  And yet, I realize I've often done the same thing.  Instead of having my mind fully focused on the task ahead of me, I've been thinking about other things.   

Sometimes this happens because the task ahead of me is something I'm afraid of and I keep thinking about things I'd rather do.  Sometimes it's simply selfishness rearing it's ugly head telling me that the task ahead isn't much fun and it would be so much more fun to do . . . .whatever. Sometimes it's because something traumatic has occurred and I can't seem to put it out of my mind, and sometimes it's about looking to see who is watching.

No matter the reason, for me prayer is the answer.  In the first case, my prayer is that God's perfect love cast out my fear.  The second and fourth call for a prayer that selfishness and self-seeking to be removed and a right spirit put within - that I be willing and eager for God's will to be done.  The third calls for a reminder that God does all things well and I can trust him with my life and the lives of those I care about.  No matter what it is that is blocking my way from accomplishing my tasks, God is the answer.

Thank you, Father, for being my answer today!  I praise you for being a God of miracles - not just out there or just for others, but in my own heart! May I be so filled with your love and with a desire to see your will done, that I keep my mind firmly set on you and the tasks you have set before me for this day!  Thank you, Father!

A Little Sleep

This post will be rather long, but I figure I haven't posted for several days, so I'll make up for it today. :)  For the last several days, I've been living a rather unusual experience with regard to sleep.  I usually try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, believing that to be the best thing to do for my health.  Lots of studies seem to confirm that amount of sleep as being important for health.  But starting Sunday night, my sleep experience has been quite different.  

Sunday afternoon I came across an opportunity that I wanted to take advantage of - but it required completion of a large project by Monday night. Could I do it? Past experience told me I'd be able to do it, but would need to work hard and probably wouldn't finish until some time Monday evening.  I somewhat half-heartedly checked in with God about it and didn't get a strong negative indication, so decided to go forward.  Frankly I'm not sure if I was really open to hearing God's voice on this matter or not, but the fact I was unusually energized for this project suggests it was indeed in His will.  While I usually try to be in bed by 9 or 10 pm, I found myself wide awake and working on this project until past 2 am.  When I realized what time it was I tried to go to bed, but sleep did not come easily.  I thought of something else related to the project that I figured I would forget if I didn't do something about it right away, so I got up and took care of that. I felt like I could keep going all night, but had reached a point where I needed input from others before I could finish.  I headed back to bed and finally drifted off to sleep sometime between 3 and 4 am - more like the time I ordinarily might be thinking of getting up.  

Fortunately, my work allows me to set my own schedule, so I figured to sleep in the next morning, but was awakened between 6 and 6:30 feeling wide awake.   I got up and went back to work on my project after getting the input I needed, and was able to complete it by 11 am - at least 10 hours before I expected to do so!  Now what?  I knew that under ordinary circumstances, if I miss sleep, it doesn't really hit me until the 2nd day - thus I could expect to feel quite tired on Tuesday. But I had activities planned for Tuesday that I didn't want to miss, so, I decided to try to nap a bit so I would be more likely to be able to participate on Tuesday. But, when I lay down, I just wasn't sleepy, so I got up and went back to work.  That night I went to bed knowing I REALLY needed to sleep!

But I only slept a few hours Monday night before being awakened again feeling wide awake and ready to take on the day.  By 9 am I was starting to feel drowsy, though, so I decided to skip my morning planned activity so I could take a nap and hopefully be awake for the more important evening activity - but again I couldn't sleep!  This is not like me.  I have often found that if I miss sleep at night, a nap during the day will refresh me!  Since I couldn't sleep, I busied myself with things, hoping I'd be okay through the rest of the day.  But sure enough - just like I expected, I began to feel very tired as the afternoon wore on.  As I had been prepared to do, I went to lie down - hoping to sleep so I'd be fresh for the evening's planned activity. But once again, sleep would not come and I got up again and went to work.  By evening, I was feeling tired enough that I decided not to attend the evening activity so I could get my sleep. I made arrangements to miss the activity, but once again, as soon as that decision had been made and regrets had been sent, I was wide awake and just went back to work.

Yesterday was more of the same.  I scheduled my day so I would be working at home and could nap if/when needed. But I didn't need to nap and worked until late last night.  This morning I am again wide awake and feeling foolish.  This week I cancelled several planned activities outside of the house so I could catch up on my sleep - and, though I felt occasional tiredness, I never was tired enough to nap, despite the lack of sleep Sunday night!  

This whole thing has just felt weird.  I had tried to be responsible about making up for my lost sleep, but it just didn't work as it had in the past.  Periodically I'd been seeking guidance about it all, but wasn't getting much of a response.  This morning as I was praying about it, the thought came that I could do a search through the bible for what it had to say about sleep - so I did.  I didn't find what I expected.

Certainly there were some verses that promised sleep - like this one from Proverbs 13:24 - "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet."  But they mostly seemed focused on not being afraid.

More verses actually warned against sleep - like this one in Provers 20:13 - "Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will shalt be satisfied with bread."  And then there were the verses in Song of Solomon (chapter 5 verses 2-6) that talked about lying down to sleep, being awakened by the beloved's knock, taking too long to get dressed and open the door so the beloved was gone and she couldn't find him. And there were the stories in the gospels that talked about how Jesus warned the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane that they should spend their time praying, but how they slept instead. (Matt 26:37-45; Mark 14:33-41; Luke 22:39-46).  I Thessalonians even seems to argue against sleep - "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." (I Thess 5:5-6).

Reading these passages through, I start to get a picture.  I've been worrying about getting caught up on my sleep instead of being open to God's still small voice when I can't sleep.  I think of the story of Samuel - how he was awakened from sleep because God had things to say to him. (I Sam chapter 3)  Instead of waiting too long to open the door like happened in the story in Song of Solomon, I want to be more like Samuel.  Today, I choose to say, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."

Father, I worry about so many things!  Thank you for reminding me that I can trust you. Whether it's sleep or things that seem more important - no matter what it is, I can trust you!  Just as I trust you for my daily bread, I can trust you for my daily sleep!  Father, may your will be done in my life!  If your will is for me to sleep, I will sleep.  If your will is for me to be awake, you will waken me.  May I be open to your guidance in this matter - and in all things.  When I am awakened, may I remember to say, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening" instead of worrying about my need for sleep!  Thank you, Father.

Food

This morning I return to one of the stories I read yesterday - the story of the woman at the well found in John chapter 4.  I am particularly drawn again to verses 31-34 - "Meanwhile, the disciples urged Him saying, Rabbi, eat something.  But He assured them, I have food (nourishment) to eat of which you know nothing and have no idea.  So the disciples said to one another, Has someone brought Him something to eat?  Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work." (Amplified Bible)

One of the first things that jumped out at me is that I've so often heard religious people talking about the need to finish God's work (meaning share their particular religious beliefs with the world).  But Jesus says that He was here to completely finish God's work.  Do we think He didn't do that?  

Does this mean there is nothing left for us to do?  As I ask these questions, I hear that still small voice saying, "Jesus finished the work God intended for Him to do. Can you say the same?" Good question! Do I focus my energy on doing God's will and finishing the work he has set for ME to do?  This is what Jesus said nourished him and left him without a need for food in that moment.  

This sounds like an excellent diet plan to me! When I think of what nourishes me, do I think of doing my heavenly father's will and finishing the work he has set for me, or do I think of physical food?  Certainly Jesus ate physical food, but he clearly understood that was not the only place he could receive nourishment. Can I say the same?  Certainly I've had times where I have been so focused on my tasks that I do not feel hunger.  Is this what he meant?

Father, I am so grateful for another day and for the daily bread you give me - physical and spiritual.  This morning I'm seeking an increased understanding of the relationship between nourishment and doing your will and how that all relates to physical food. I ask that you guide my thoughts and actions that they may indeed be in alignment with your will and that I may experience that nourishment that comes from something other than food. 

Will

Recently I've once again been thinking about and seeking guidance regarding the question of God's will.  The questions started in the form of "Why?" They are questions I've asked before and heard others ask as well: Why do awful things happen to people?  Why do horrific things even happen to innocent children? Surely this is not God's will!  Yet, people pray for changes that don't come and they must continue living in difficult circumstances. Why?

And then I thought of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  If anyone has demonstrated God's power for miracles, it was Him. Yet, when his own time of challenge came, the "cup" was not removed. Despite his prayers, he had to go through the mock of a trial and the crucifixion.  He trusted God, and knew God was love and could perform miracles, and yet Jesus still went through very trying circumstances. 

And I remember the story of Job.  His godly life and prayers did not save his children or his crops or even himself from physical pain.  I'm struck that perhaps we have too often misunderstood the purpose of prayer.  

I once again find myself looking at "The Lord's Prayer" as found in Matthew 6 (see earlier blog here). Continuing from where I left off in my previous blog.  I read, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven."  I am once again reminded that despite our common conceptions, prayer is about bringing us into alignment with God's will, not about presenting God with a "to do" list!

I am taken to several verses in John where Jesus speaks of God's will: 

• John 4:34 - "Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.'" NKJV    
• John 5:30 - "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." NKJV
• John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." NKJV

And I realize - if Jesus is my example,

• My food should be to do the will of God and to finish His work.
• I should of myself do nothing, seeking not my own will, but God's.
• I am here not to do my own will, but God's.

How far from this example I stray sometimes!  And then I hear the words of the Bible in a different light: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil 2:13) and "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isa 55:8-11)

It is not my job to sit and wail about where I have failed God in failing to listen to His voice and follow His will!  It is my job to once again take the time now to "Be still, and know that I am God". (Ps 46:10)  I can trust that God has the power to work His will in my life and that he will see this work to completion - it will not be in vain.

Thank you, Father for your work in me.  May your will indeed be done in the earth of my heart, and in the earth as a whole.  May I be open to allowing your will to work in and through me that I might also be able to say that I don't seek my own will but yours instead, and that my food is to do your will.  Is this the clue to healthy diet and weight control that I've been seeking, Father? That my FOOD is to do your will? Father, please continue the work you have begun in me and see it to completion. May YOUR will be done!

Use it or lose it?

I've been reading in the book, The World as I See It by Helen Keller.  It's a real eye-opener for me as I realize how much I've been missing as I've been relying on my sight and my hearing and missing so much of the nuances of touch and smell that she discusses. I am grateful that God gives us so much that our lives are so rich even without fully using everything He's given.  But what would life be like if I were more consciously and fully using all of my God-given senses?

I'm reminded once again of the parable told in Matthew 25: 14-30, sometimes referred to as the parable of the talents (monetary units in biblical times). In these few short verses, Jesus contrasts the work of 3 servants who were each given sums of money.  Two invested theirs and doubled their money, the third was afraid he might lose it, so buried the money.  When the master returned, he rewarded the first two, but was angry with the third, telling him that he could at least have put the money in the bank where it would earn interest!  

Today in this story I recognize two important principle which Jesus likened to the kingdom of heaven: 1) use the gifts you are given, don't just bury them, and 2) don't make your decisions based in fear.  So, where in my life am I not using all the gifts I've been given?  And where am I holding back because of fear?  Certainly Helen Keller's book reminds me of a couple of senses of which I might make better use.  

Father, thank you once again for the gift of this day.  May I make good use of this gift you've given me!  May your will be done in and through me today!  May I step forward in confidence to use the gifts you've given me, trusting you instead of letting fear gain ground in me.  I love you, Father!

Doors

This morning I am reminded of doors and a quote I came across that has been attributed to Helen Keller - "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."  

This quote is such a good reminder for me! In Revelation 3:8 I find, "behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it".  Unfortunately, if I ignore the open door and refuse to walk through it, it might as well be closed to me.  But sometimes it can be really challenging for me when faced with a closed door that I thought I wanted open! In the past, I never would have taken the time to look for another one that opened, but I am learning to do so.  

This weekend I had a couple of really unusual close/open door experiences.  Some people might think them trivial, and they certainly seem to be compared with other more serious closed door experiences I've had.  However, for me they are an indication that God does indeed care about the little things in our lives - not just the big ones. (Luke 12:7 - But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.)

I'll share one of these experiences here to show you what I mean. I had been very consciously praying for God's will to be done throughout the day as I looked forward to hosting a game night with friends.  We were going to have a potluck supper first, and then games afterwards.  Up until a couple of hours before the scheduled arrival time, I expected 5 people to be joining for the potluck dinner - two of whom would have to leave after dinner, and three of whom would stay to play games with us. However, a couple of hours before dinner I got two calls in quick succession, saying that they had to cancel this time - they'd join us next time!  No one that had said they were coming were actually coming!

I didn't know what to think, and it was hard to not feel a bit of rejection. Obviously I didn't need to fix the dishes I had been planning for potluck. And I knew I'd been asking that God's will be done, so I continued seeking His guidance and actively looked for what I might do instead.  There were some tasks I'd been putting off, so I started working on one of them. My husband got home and we ate a quiet supper, just the two of us.  Then we got another phone call.  This one from someone who didn't usually like to play games, so we hadn't really expected him to come though we had invited him.  His message was that though he wouldn't be there in time for dinner, he would come for the games - and was bringing a friend! So we had fun playing games that night after all - just not with who we thought was coming!

I've spent some time thinking about that experience.  I can't say that I fully understand why things happened the way they did, but I am grateful I was looking for open doors rather than just falling into a funk about everyone cancelling!  I'm also grateful I got the word about the cancellations before I had made the dishes I was planning to make - they would have been hard for us to eat up on our own, and would have taken time I didn't need to spend.  And I really enjoyed playing games and now have a couple more names on my game night list of folks that have said they want to come next time.

Father, as I look to you for guidance, I am so grateful that I can trust you to open and close doors for me!  I am so grateful that you care about everything that affects me - whether seemingly big or small.  This is a good example for me and reminds me of my own need to be faithful in the little things as well as the big ones. (Luke 16:10 "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much." NKJV)  Thank you, Father for your love and your gentle guidance.  May I always accept and appreciate your guidance - even when it comes through the closing of doors! I love you, Father!

Microscopes

Today I've been thinking about microscopes.  I remember a biology class I took that required their use.  It took some time for me to learn to use them so I could see what the teacher wanted me to see.  At first I had real trouble figuring out what to focus in on. I would zoom in on something and get it in focus so I could see it clearly - but find it didn't look like what the teacher described at all.  I had focused in on the wrong thing!  In fact, in the beginning, the only way that worked was for my teacher to come over, set the sample up just right, and get it all focused before having me look through the microscope to see it.  I was so grateful he was willing to do that!  After he did this for awhile and I had the experience of seeing what he was talking about, it became easier for me to understand what I needed to focus in on and began to be able to do it myself.

I've been realizing that this is what I'm needing in my life.  I need God to adjust the microscope for me.  It is so easy for me to focus in on the wrong thing - things people have done that hurt me or my own faults, for example - even my own plans instead of seeking His.  How much better my life runs when I am focused on God instead!  

I am reminded of a verse from Philippians - chapter 4 verse 8: "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (New Living Translation)  Are these the things I think about?  When I look at those around me, do I see them the way God does? Or have I focused in on the wrong things?  Whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable - am I looking for these things in those I interact with, or am I looking at the things they do wrong - or even MIGHT do wrong? 

As I think about this I realize that when I look for what others do wrong or might do wrong, I move into fear.  They might hurt me in some way!  When this happens, I have clearly missed the mark.  I'm off the path I should be traveling. I'm in fear. I am reminded that perfect love casts out fear, and I realize once again how much I need God's love flowing through my life.  And today it starts here.  Whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable - wherever I can find something excellent and worthy of praise - this is that on which I am to focus my attention.

Thank you, Father, for once again feeding my soul this morning.  Please adjust my microscope!  May I focus my attention on the positive and trust you to protect me rather than spending my energy trying to protect myself. Father, you've said we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  How do I do this?  What is the difference between focusing my attention correctly and allowing folks to take advantage of me? As I think about these things, I realize that once again the question is, "Where is the focus of my attention?" Or, to put it another way: "Who do I trust?"  I don't have to trust those who have proven themselves untrustworthy in order to focus on the positives about them.  My trust is to be in YOU not in them!  How foolish of me to assume that seeking to see the good in those around me means I must also put my trust in them.  YOU are the one I am to put my trust in.  Not myself, not those around me - YOU!  Thank you, Father, for this clarity.  Beginning today, right now, may my trust be in you, and my focus on the good you have created all around me - including in each person with whom I come in contact.  Thank you, Father!

Dandilions

I remember as a child being thrilled with dandelions.  I loved these flowers after the bloom was gone and they were full of fluffy seed-carrying fibers.  I loved picking then, blowing on them, and watching all the fluffy bits scatter through the air.  At the time I didn't think about the seeds and what I was planting, I just loved watching all those whispy things floating through the air.

As an adult, I've thought a lot more about the lessons in nature and what nature demonstrates about the Creator.  One of the things dandelions serve as an example of is "abundance".  God is NOT a skinflint or a hoarder!  In Luke we're told God will give to us "good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over." (chapter 6 verse 38).  I see this abundance repeated over and over in nature.  It takes only one sperm to fertilize an egg, yet thousands are released at a time.  While a single flower is a marvel of nature, God scatters millions across the earth - many of which are never even seen by human eyes!  And while some of these produce food or medicine, many appear to simply be there to increase the beauty. 

And then I remember the passage in Matthew about the lilies of the field - or as The Message Bible says, the wildflowers.  This is how The Message Bible puts it -

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion — do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers — most of which are never even seen — don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." - Matt 6:25-34 The Message

Am I relaxed? preoccupied with getting? responding fully to God's giving? Do I give my entire attention to what God is doing right now or do I still get worked up about what my or may not happen tomorrow?  What good questions!

Father, thank you so much for what you are doing right now in me and through me.  As I see myself spending more time with you and thinking about what you are doing, I find that indeed my preoccupation with food and getting things is diminishing. Father thank you for your many blessings in my life!  I so enjoy being able to share them with others - whether material or spiritual in nature!  Thank you once again for my daily bread.  May I continue to learn from it throughout the day.  May I begin to experience the fullness of the life you intend for me as I learn to give more and more of my attention to what You are doing right now.  Thank you, Father! 

Inspiration

Do I feel inspired?  What inspires me?  This morning when I called to wish my mother a happy birthday, she said she was sending me a YouTube link that she wanted me to watch "with" her while she was on the phone with me (so she could hear my reaction).  What an inspiring video!  It was of a 94-year-old woman dancing the QuickStep.  Though she clearly wasn't as spry as she once was, it certainly inspired me.  I want to be as spry as she is when I'm 94!

Hmmmm, next to come into my mind is the more IMPORTANT QUESTION.  What am I going to do about it?  One doesn't just sit around eating bon bons all day (whatever they are! :) ) and manage to dance like that at age 94.  It takes a lot of practice - and continuing practice as you age.  Clearly, if I am to let this inspiration do it's work in me, I have to DO SOMETHING about it.  I have to care for my body, and I have to continue to do things that keep me limber and spry throughout my life.  That is much easier than trying to undo years of neglect when I am in my 90's!  

I think of a verse that often comes to mind: "Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (1 Cor 6:19-20 - New Living Translation).  While this message is given in the context of abstaining from sins of a sexual nature, it has always spoken to me on a far wider level.  My body is the temple of God!  If I REALLY understood that, how would I treat it? Would I mis-use it? Would I abuse it by eating too much food and making it carry more weight than it was designed to do? Would I fill it with junk, or would I bring only beautiful, healthy, God-given things inside it?  

If I know I'll be having visitors to my home, I'll often spend some extra time cleaning and straightening - perhaps bringing in some flowers for added beauty. And I try to keep things somewhat straight downstairs in case the unexpected visitor drops by.  If I really understand and accept the idea of my body being the temple of the Holy Spirit and want His presence within me, wouldn't I go even farther still?  Wouldn't I take meticulous care to keep it up and maintain it and create as peaceful and comfortable a dwelling for the Spirit as I can?  So why am I not always doing so?

Father, thank you for the way you find so many ways to inspire me!  May this inspiration not be lost, but may it continue to inspire me to actually DO what needs to be done to create the best possible dwelling for your Spirit!  Thank you for your willingness to stay in my "home" even when it is not as hospitable a place as it can be. May I accept your guidance and be willing to make healthy and "hospitable" choices starting this very day.  Thank you, Father!

Names

This morning I again returned to Matthew chapter 6 and Jesus' discussion of how to pray.  In his example prayer, the first thing he says is, "Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name." (verse 9)  I found myself once again asking a question I've often wondered about.  What does it mean?????  "Hallowed be Your name" is not the sort of language I hear everyday. It's not a common phrase that I readily understand. As I was asking this question this morning, another verse came to mind - this one from Exodus 20:7 - "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." I've always been told this means I shouldn't swear using God's name - but I had a feeling there might be more to it than that. I decided to see what I could understand by looking up the word "name" in the Bible.  

I quickly discovered that there are FAR too many references to read them all in one day, but as I glanced through some of them, I started to understand something I hadn't understood before in relation to this topic.  At least part of this is about REPUTATION.  I came across verses that talked about someone doing mighty deeds so he had "a name among three" (I Chronicles 11:20), and one whose deeds made "his name spread" (II Chronicles 26:8), and even one who would be forgotten and "have no name in the street" (Job 18:17).  And I begin to better understand those verses that talk about fearing God's name.  I see that at least in part it includes recognizing God's power and being afraid if you decide to fight Him since you know He is stronger!  

And then I think about II Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  If I am God's child, I am called by His name.  Thus, my actions are not mine alone. His reputation is at stake!  What a huge responsibility!  I am so grateful that He is willing to be my Father, but am I willing to behave as a child of the King should behave?

Yes, Father, I do indeed pray with Jesus, "Hallowed be thy name!"  Only you can work in me to cleanse me and keep me on the right path that I might not sin against you and tarnish your name. I am once again grateful for the promise that you will continue the work you have started in me.  Father it is so easy for me to move into selfishness and try to take my will back, but I don't want to!  Please work within me to both WILL and DO of your good pleasure.  May your will be done in me always! Thank you, Father, for the progress I am seeing.  It feels so good to wake with thoughts of you!  And yet I've seen how quickly and easily I can forget to seek Your will in all things. May that forgetfulness not be a part of my experience this day, Father.  May I seek and do YOUR will.  May each person I interact with today be blessed because they feel your love through me.  Thank you, Father, for being so willing to take my hard heart and make it Yours.  Please keep my eyes on you this day.  Amen.

Forget Not to Communicate!

I am grateful to have friends and family with whom I share this journey. One of them shared a part of their story with me today, and reminded me of some things I've written here pretty recently.  As they did so, I realized that I had already forgotten to implement that particular piece into my own life!  How shocking and humbling to see how quickly I can forget! I decided to look to see what the Bible had to say about forgetting and came across this verse: "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."  Hebrews 13:16.  

To do good and to communicate - this is indeed a sacrifice at times.  There may be things going on in my life that tempt me to focus on myself and to forget my priorities.  This is a good reminder. In this particular case, my forgetfulness started with my choosing not to blog yesterday.  Now sometimes, I am led to set the blogging aside for one reason or another, but that was not the case yesterday.  I simply had things to do and chose not to take the time to communicate. This led me down the slippery slope of putting my own will first - and led to some real discouragement this morning. 

Father, I am so grateful that someone DID offer the sacrifice of communication this morning! Their willingness to share has changed the course of my day and put me back on track.  Thank you, Father, for placing such people in my life and for using them to speak to me! I ask your blessing on them in a special way this day. I also ask that you guide my own thoughts and actions; may they be in accordance with your will.  And may I REMEMBER what you're teaching me and put it into practice!  Thank you, Father!  Amen.