A Kiss
Today has not gone as planned, Father, in that there are a few more hurdles to clear before being a full-time bus driver. But…I am not anxious, Father, for it is all Your hands as it has been from the beginning. You are the Lord of my life and Your will will be done regardless of the motives of any outside source!
Matthew 26:45-50 (<<click to read the passage)
Of all things – a kiss! When we think of kisses they are always a positive thing. Just this morning, a little one was waiting with her father to board the bus and when we pulled up and stopped, she took a step away and then without the slightest hesitation she turned and looked up and he bent, giving her a gentle kiss as he did. Simple…loving…caring… expressing a multitude of emotions and feelings in such a small gesture.
A note from the Amplified Bible states,
A kiss on either the hand or cheek was usually an act of homage and a common gesture of greeting and reverence given to a rabbi by his disciples, but done here to identify Jesus.
But Judas’ kiss was neither a kiss of love or of homage. It was a formality that pointed Jesus out, not because Jesus was hard to recognize, but because Judas had agreed to be the formal accuser in case a trial was called.*
Yes, it was a kiss but it was one of betrayal. Satan twists so many beautiful, meaningful things perverting them, distorting them.
Lord, what does this mean for me today? You call us to be the real deal, no deception, no masks, and no twists. May I be the genuine article in all – not just some – of my interactions with everyone with whom I come in contact. That’s what You did and what I must do as well. Amen!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Nov 28th, 2018, Tues, 7:16 pm
Attune My Heart
With my new schedule, I need to get some new habits in place and one of them is the priority of my time with You. Direct me in the way that would benefit me most. Bless this time we have together. Amen.
Matthew 26:36-46 (<<click to read the passage)
Lord, it’s easy for us to pass judgment on Peter, James, and John. It wasn’t like they didn’t know You – they had been with You for three years. It wasn’t as if You were keeping Your heart-wrenching struggle from them – You very clearly stated, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” v38
Yes, it would be easy to join the bandwagon and berate them for their insensitivity towards Your obvious need but…we are no better…
Lord, I know there are many times when You would speak to me but I am distracted or I am weary and You quickly fall into the background. It’s not because I don’t love You. It’s not because I don’t care. Unfortunately, the fact is, I am self-absorbed – my world often controls my mind. Things that in my mind seem so urgent take over – I realize that in view of eternity, they are nothing but in the here and now they consume me.
All I can do is ask for Your forgiveness and strive each day to draw closer to You. I need to spend as much time with You as possible. It won’t be at my desk or in my recliner where we have met so many times but it will be in all the highways and byways of my life – all my comings and goings. Attune my heart to resonate with Yours. I welcome Your full reign in my life. There is no better way!
Nov 27th, 2018, 10:24 am
Favoritism
(A couple of years ago a dear friend gave me a book of Puritan prayers entitled The Valley of Vision. It had a great impact on my devotional life.)
O my Father, as I read these Puritan prayers each morning they resonate deep within my soul. I read through it once, then I just read it again, then I read over what spoke most pointedly to me, then I am compelled to read the whole thing again. Thank You for the brothers in Christ who so long ago penned what was in their heart, for it speaks to mine today.
Today’s reading has several quotable portions. Here is one:
Let the mighty tide of his everlasting love
cover the rocks of my sin and care;
Then let my spirit float above those things
which had else wrecked my life.
James 2:1-9 (<<click here)
Lord Jesus, as I read this passage James is clearly speaking against the evils of showing favoritism. The example he uses addresses one of our great tendencies – favoring those with much over those with little. And unfortunately that’s how our mind works, we want to side with those whom we are most comfortable, either because we can relate more readily with them or maybe because we hope to benefit from that association.
Whichever way, we lean, whomever we favor, should give us all pause to ask ourselves, “Why?” In reading through the Gospels, You did not respond to bias. You loved and interacted with people from all walks of life. Substance or look thereof did not sway You. You saw who people were on the inside and interacted with them there. You loved the rich, young ruler and the man born blind. You loved Zacchaeus and Nicodemus both. You meet us at our need and go from there. You go right for the heart.
Lord, may I see past the exterior. Enable me to love as You love.
Aug 23rd, 2016, Tues, 6:07 am
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Father, the week of Thanksgiving is always crazy busy – especially in retail! There’s not been much time to sit with You but I am thankful that You were by my side through every moment of it. And I am thankful that You have opened doors that will allow me to transition out of retail into a new area of adventure. May Your guiding hand be upon my shoulder as I wrap up the one and dive into the other. Amen!
Matthew 26:31-35 (<<click to read the passage)
Peter and his compatriots never dreamed they would do what they ended up doing…but they did. And even though Jesus himself said they would do it they still couldn’t believe it…until they were in the middle of it.
So…where would I land? I would say the same as they, as I am sure most of us would, but where the rubber meets the road, would I stand faithfully by the Lord’s side or would I run…would I balk…would I hide?
There are examples upon examples of those who have stood and those who have fallen. And in all honesty, I would hope, with all that is within me, that I would be amongst the ranks of those who stood.
Lord, You know my heart better than I. You alone know what is ahead of me in life. I would pray that You would guide me, that You would strengthen me, that You would fortify me to stand and not fall. May I be true to You. May I not yield to fear and doubt. May I be a man after Your own heart. Amen.
Nov 25th, 2018, Sun, 6:44 am
Humble Service
Father, yesterday was a beautiful day of fellowship. I have every reason to feel thankful for I am truly blessed. Our gathering was not as big as in years past but the spirit was sweet. Bless my family, Father – those who were there and those who couldn’t be. Amen.
1 Peter 5:1-4 (<<click here)
Peter here is speaking to elders – leaders of the church. Lord, 18 years ago this past summer the responsibilities of serving as an elder were placed on my shoulders. Service truly is at the core of leadership in Your kingdom. And along with it should be humility, as well.
Peter clearly exemplifies these two characteristics in his writing. He had every “right” to thrust forth his superiority, after all, he was one of the original twelve – he was an apostle. He knew Jesus. He was one of the “inner circle” along with James and John. Jesus called him Peter – meaning “rock” – and said, “upon this rock I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18
If anyone was at the top of the proverbial heap it was Peter. But do we see that? Not a bit! His humility is evident. He identifies himself as “a fellow elder” – that’s it.
Leadership in the church – in God’s kingdom – is a precarious thing. Strong leadership is important – men and women who get things done, visionaries, those who push onward and upward. But without a servant’s heart, without the humility of realizing that their responsibility is to carry out Your will, Lord, without those elements at the forefront of their leading, trouble is just around the corner
Power and control unbridled can so easily lead to the corruption of heart, soul, and mind. Pride can grow to the point where no one can tell us what to do! We get this erroneous mindset that we are above sin and we can delve into whatever forbidden arenas we want. We begin to “lord it over the people assigned to [our] care” instead of leading them “by [our] own good example.”
Lord, may we pray for the leaders of Your Church. May service in humility – as Your life exemplified – be the overarching element that impacts our every action. Lord, may I be a leader under Your terms of service, not my own.
Feb 13th, 2017, Mon, 6:37 am