Well, Father, I got several things done today but sitting with You did not happen. Regardless, it is of utmost importance to do so before the end of my day. Thank You for Your presence in Bible Study tonight. Thank You for friends who can come together and learn and grow and encourage one another.
Mark 4:1-9 (<<click to read the passage)
And [Jesus] said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.” v.9 AMP
As I read through the notes in my Life Application Study Bible, it stated pretty much the same thing as was stated in our Bible Study, though we were not studying Mark but we were looking at 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 31 in particular says,
“I assure you, believers…I die daily [I face death and die to self].” AMP
How much of our life is made up of going through the motions of life – our daily tasks, things that need to be done, people with whom we need to talk, places we must go to, etc., etc.? I do that – regularly.
But there are quite a few days where I stop…and before anything gets too far along, I lay my life out before God and give everything over to Him. My thoughts are: use me, fill me, guide me, protect me, work through me. This day, my time – everything – Lord, it is all Yours to do with as You will. Then the challenging part is not just to listen…but to hear.
How many of us, throughout our day, have music playing or the TV on? We listen to it to some degree but don’t really “hear” it. We may absent-mindedly sing along but it is all very much on a surface level. If we don’t stop and “die daily” becoming a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1) for God to use, can we truly hear what He is saying to us?
This night, Lord Jesus, I would pray that I would remember every day to lay out my life before You. May I not just listen, but may I hear. Help me to “die daily” – may I “die to self” – so that Your will may be done, not just in my life but may I be used to impact Your kingdom here on earth. Amen.
Feb 25th, 2019, Mon, 8:46 pm
