Seeing Through Your Eyes
Father, this morning, as I think back over the past few months, I once again acknowledge that I owe everything I am to You. This time that we have together was at one point only something I longed for, then it became something with which I struggled. Only because of You was I able to overcome things that were holding me back, things that were constantly entangling me! Thank You, Father! Life is not perfect, I still have my struggles but it is different now. In Your strength alone am I victorious. Praise Your holy Name!
Colossians 4:3-4 (<<click to read the passage)
Lord, You would think that being Your follower for all these years, that being a minister for so long, that this would be a normal activity in my life – but it isn’t. There may be factors but for too long they were basically just excuses…
In these verses, Paul asks that the Colossians pray that God will give he and those with him many opportunities to share God’s “mysterious” plan concerning Christ. His objective was to make sure that it was no longer a mystery for he wanted all to realize Christ’s Good News of salvation from sin. He then asks for prayer that he will proclaim this Good News as clearly as he should.
Lord Jesus, You have been working with me in this area. On this front, I am still a newbie but You are patiently working with me. Please forgive my failings to take advantage of opportunities given – my hesitancy, as well. Please continue to bolster my confidence in You. In my own strength and wisdom, I am doomed to failure! Only through Your strength and wisdom will success be found! I would ask that more and more I would see others as You see them. I know You are at work in my life. When my preconceived mindsets kick in I feel You pulling up on the reigns and You encourage me to stop and think. Then help me to act as You would act.
Thank You for the opportunity and the courage to act this past week at work. I did not know the gentleman in our break room, I had seen him before but had not spoken to him. When he sat down and began to eat, I really didn’t think much about it, but as time passed I believe You allowed me to see him through Your eyes. He said nothing but he communicated despair, heartache, loneliness. He did not weep but the way he touched his face and combed his fingers through his thinning hair spoke to me; seeing what You saw almost brought me to tears! And then You clearly spoke to me and boy did I struggle! You said, “Speak to him.” My mind raced! There are other peoples in here – what would they think, what am I supposed to say?! ‘Hey, you look like you’re in despair. Want to talk?” I tried to fend it off but You pushed on. I packed up my things and put them away and before I left, I sat across from him and introduced myself. He was a men’s clothing rep who was in the store regularly. I shared my appreciation for reps and all they do and that was it. I broke the ice – I had made contact. It scared me to death but Lord, You helped me! Afterward, I sincerely prayed that I would see him again, soon, and that You will use me to touch him. Lord, help me to “proclaim [Your] message as clearly as I should” with him and others You bring my way.
Thank You, Lord, for Your loving patience!
July 3, 2015, Fri 5:27 am
This video does a great job of communicating this mindset!
Safely Home
Thank You for a wonderful day, yesterday, Father. You blessed us in our worship. You were with us as we remembered the life of a man who sought to serve You with his all. I realize that you never leave our side but it is a beautiful gift to be alert enough to be aware of your presence and to feel Your touch and to respond to Your direction. All praise to Your Holy Name. Amen.
1 Peter 3:18 (<<click to read the passage)
In the late 80’s I was on staff at a church in Marietta, Ohio. We were only there for a year but we made some dear, lifelong friends in the process. Even after we left, for quite some time we would meet halfway (unusually in Zanesville) to share a meal and catch up.
For whatever reason the weather never seemed to cooperate when we would meet – I remember a tornado in the area one time – but one trip back home sticks in my mind. It was a white-knuckle on the steering wheel trek through a full-blown snow storm. It was bad! It was snowing and blowing so badly that it took us forever to get home.
I’m sure Karen threw up a lot of prayers that day and if Massey was with us at all, he would have been very small, but it was my responsibility to get my loved ones safely home.
The journey of life is a treacherous one. And, thankfully, I am not the one behind the wheel. I am incapable of doing so. Only one Person can “bring [us] safely home” and that is You, Lord. Sin was sweeping us away into an eternity of separation from You. But You – You alone – “suffered for our sins once for all time…[You] died for sins to bring [us] safely home.”
Thank You, Lord, for Your sacrifice. Thank You for taking on the responsibility of getting us home safely. There is no way we can do it on our own. Praise You for Your wonderful work of salvation, Blessed Redeemer! Amen!
Jan 16th, 2017, Mon, 5:43 am
For Such a Worm as I
Father, as I come before You this morning, my thoughts leading up to this time, my thoughts during this time and even today’s Puritan prayer reading, all are focusing on the same area – my unworthiness and Your mercy and grace.
Some 30 years ago, when I was serving on staff in one of my first churches a friend of mine expressed his offense at the text of a favorite hymn, by Isaac Watts, “At the Cross.” The first verse reads,
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
He took offense at the word “worm”. He felt that that was too much, that because of what You had done for us, Lord, that we shouldn’t think of ourselves in that terminology – it was too debasing. Many must have agreed with him for in most “modern” hymnals the phrase “For such a worm as I” has been replaced with “For sinners such as I.”
Way back then it bothered me and I think it does more so today. Lord Jesus, I realized who I am in You. I am not who I once was – I have been gloriously changed! I have been reborn! And as the psalmist proclaims “You have removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Psalm 103:12 I love that verse! If I place my finger on a globe and go north, eventually I will be going south. BUT… if I trace my finger across the equator heading east – I will never go west. The two never meet. That is how far You have removed our sins from us! Thank You, Lord!
But no matter where I stand now (and again only because of YOU) it does not change who I was when I started! Yes, I was a sinner but too often we want to sweeten that by saying “I am a sinner saved by grace.” And most assuredly that is true. All praise to You, Lord, for your grace and mercy but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I am a sinner and until I am welcomed into Your eternal presence that’s what I am – a sinner.
I think part of the issue is that by rejecting the “worms” we make ourselves feel better about ourselves. But for me at least it helps to keep my humility at a healthy level. I am totally dependent upon You, Lord, for my salvation. Left to my own ways, I am nothing. I am the lowest of the low. Lord, thank You for lifting me up out of the pit of despair. Thank You for giving of Yourself – for sacrificing Yourself “for such a worm as I.” You “came down to my level, When I couldn’t get up to Yours.” May I ever be humbly grateful, Amen
Sept 10th, 2016, Sat, 5:18 am
I’d Rather Be a Black-eyed Susan
Good morning, Father! There is a full day ahead and I am glad that You will be with me. Give me the strength for the tasks at hand. May my thoughts be often drawn to You. Amen.
Lord, as I was thinking about some of the outdoor tasks I need to work on this fall I thought about the peonies that need to be split and replanted. As I’m writing I also noticed the lovely cluster of black-eyed Susans that we have up by the road. We have many beautiful perennials in our yard. Some bloom in the spring, some in the summer and fall.
But sitting here got me to thinking about how some of our plants grow and how that relates to how we grow in our walk with Christ. In God’s garden, I don’t think I want to be a peony. They are beautiful, yes, but as soon as they come out, inevitably a spring storm comes and the blooms are battered pretty quickly – they can’t handle what the world has to throw at them.
Also, I don’t want to be a peony because they are stuck where they are planted. Over time if they are not dug up, split and replanted they will produce fewer and fewer blooms. I don’t want my witness for Christ to suffer because I won’t move.
I would be a Black-eyed Susan though. Their stunning yellow petals and dark centers readily catch our eye. A storm in the summer or fall just keeps them well watered. Their strong stalks readily withstand strong winds. They can handle just about anything the world has to throw at them.
Also, I’d rather be a black-eyed Susan because they don’t just stay where they are planted. In fact, I probably should thin them out some in our flower beds – they are literally taking over some of them! They are quick to spread themselves abroad. What a great correlation to living lives eager to share what God has done for us
Lord, may I be like the black-eyed Susan. May Your beauty in me readily catch the eye of those around me. May I proudly stand for You regardless of what the world throws at me. And may I always be about spreading the Good News of what You have done for me. Amen.
Aug 26th, 2017, Sat, 8:29 am
So Heavenly Minded, You’re No Earthly Good
Father, I come into Your presence this evening seeking respite for my soul. You know where I am right now. You know the weariness. You also know the joy of time spent with the love of my life the last couple of days and have blessed me with the gift of it. I give this week to You, Father. Use me as You will. May I be and do and say what would bring glory to Your name. Empower me with holy power to accomplish the tasks at hand. Amen.
Matthew 22:23-33 (<<click to read the passage)
After reading this passage, Lord, I also read the notes in my study Bible* and it spoke of how we, in every generation, tend to project human qualities to both heaven and God – interpreting it through “images and experiences of present life.”
As I pondered these thoughts an old phrase came to mind, “So heavenly minded that you’re of no earthly good.” Now that phrase is nowhere to be found in Scripture but it sure gives some food for thought. As my study Bible says, “We should concentrate more on our relationship with God than about what heaven will look like. Eventually we will find out, and it will be far beyond our greatest expectations.”
When I did a little searching online I discovered a song written and sung by Johnny Cash entitled “No Earthly Good”. It was released in 1977 but I don’t remember ever hearing it…until today.
Take time to read through the lyrics, Johnny Cash fan or not…I think Jesus would approve.
Come heed me, my brothers, come heed, one and all
Don’t brag about standing or you’ll surely fall
You’re shining your light and shine it you should
But you’re so heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good
If you’re holding heaven, then spread it around
There’s hungry hands reaching up here from the ground
Move over and share the high ground where you stood
So heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good
The gospel ain’t gospel until it is spread
But how can you share it where you’ve got your head
There’s hands that reach out for a hand if you would
So heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good
Lord, draw me to You today. When it comes to the Good News of what You so graciously offer – the Gospel that is – may I share it and ”spread it around”. Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible
Sept 30th, 2018, Sun, 6:04 pm