Investments of the Heart
Tonight as I sit at the PC, Father, I think back on a day where Your grace carried us from beginning to end. Karen and I had the opportunity to travel with family to see more family. We are blessed to be able to do so. Our times of fellowship were fulfilling and we were given traveling mercies to and from. May we cherish the times we have been given and give You the praise for all we have been given.
Matthew 6:19-21 (<<click the green)
Each day, Lord, I make investments. I invest my time and energies into a variety of things. The question is, am I investing in things that are temporary or things that are of eternal value. Today we invested in eternal things.
We visited with an uncle of Karen’s who is recovering from a stroke he had last spring. It has been a long and arduous trip for him and his wife. But great strides have been made. And though there are still many opportunities he is doing so well. We may not have contributed to his physical advancement but the time taken, the words of encouragement spoken, just seeing him so much further along than he was at the beginning, each of those things are eternal investments in ones we love – we are storing our treasures in heaven. We were uplifted and I pray we lifted them up as well. Each of us is blessed to be a part of the whole.
The benefits of those investments are obvious to see. But what about tomorrow? I am back to work. We are in a time of transition – cutting back one line of product to make room for another new line of product. How in the world can I store my treasures in heaven in that setting? By doing my job well and with a joyful heart, I cast a reflection of You to those around me. I will interact with fellow associates and customers throughout the day and once again I will have opportunity to invest in them. I can choose to lift them up. I can reflect Your presence in my life by loving them and being an encouragement to them in their lives.
No matter what I do, may my heart show where my treasure is. Amen.
Before My Feet Hit the Floor
Father, today has been a full day. We didn’t go out a do a lot of stuff, we just stayed at home, kept the fire going in the stove, watched the snow come down. I worked on things for church; Karen crocheted – no pressure, no hurrying about – just a full day of each other and You were in the midst of it all. Thank You for the gift.
Matthew 6:16-18 (<<click green)
You speak of fasting here. Lord, but you also speak in regards to the condition of our hearts. Traditionally fasting is denying ourselves food so as to focus on You. We don’t eat but instead spend time in prayer, and I would dare say it’s a time, not to throw out our wish list, but to listen to what You would say to us.
And what You are saying here is that when we do things that are meant to draw us closer to You that we should not do things that draw attention to ourselves.
In texting my sister-in-law a few days ago, she shared with me a passage from the latter part of Isaiah 66:2 – and this is You speaking.
“But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
Lord, I think that fits here pretty well.
When I step behind the pulpit each Sunday morning – for that matter when I climb out of bed every morning – where is my heart? What is my goal? To draw attention to myself? Or to draw attention to You?
Hm….in this “all about me” world, that can be a challenge. To put You first – to put others before myself that takes some concentration. I know it is impossible on my own.
I fall at Your feet, Lord, enable me to seek You out before my feet even hit the floor. May I find You. May I be filled with You. May my life point to You. Amen.
Jan 24th, 2018, Wed, 11:03 pm
Forgiveness
Father, I have innumerable reasons to be grateful. You are with me each day. You never give up on me. You never stop giving. I am so grateful for a good night’s sleep. I am grateful for a loving wife, for a beautiful family, for churches who care, for gainful employment, for a home to call my own… All gifts from Your bountiful hand. May the way I live out my life be continually mindful of Your love for me. Amen.
Matthew 6:14-15 (<<click the green)
Lord, it is important that I mull over this word – forgiveness. Where would I be without it? Lost, that is where I would be. Condemned. Damned to an eternity separated from You.
And it’s not like I have only dipped into the mighty reserves of Your forgiveness a couple of times. You graciously forgive me each and every time I come to You and humbly ask. You never withhold. You never say that I am coming to the end of the number of times You will forgive me.
O, Lord, truly, where would I be without Your forgiveness?
I readily accept Your forgiveness, so why is it so difficult to extend my forgiveness to others? If a perfect, holy God can forgive me, one who in and of myself am nowhere near perfect or holy, why do I struggle at times in forgiving those who are in the same boat as I?
What You said here in Matthew 6:14-15 is straightforward. There is absolutely no way to misinterpret Your words.
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Lord, I like to think I am a forgiving person…but there are people with which I struggle. And I am not alone, we all have people that say things that irk us, do things that hurt us and sometimes just rub us the wrong way every time we come into contact with them. And we just can’t seem to let it go. But we must.
Verse 15 from the Amplified Bible helps me focus.
“But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.”
Where would I be without Your forgiveness, O God? Lost, that is where I would be. Condemned. Damned to an eternity separated from You. Help me to forgive others as willingly and as generously as You forgive me. Amen.
Jan 23rd, 2018, Tues, 6:22 am
Driven by Love
As I sit here, Father, I think of times in my life when I have needed an attitude adjustment. I have blamed those times on weariness of body and mind and because of those things my defenses were down but when all is said and done my attitude needs adjusting and its the kind that only You can perform. With the utmost of reverence, I can bow at Your feet and can know that Your mercy is available to me. I realize that I am nothing and I cannot survive this life without You. Thank You for Your forgiveness, Your healing, and for realigning me. Only in You am I made whole!
1 Timothy 3:1-13 (<<click here)
What a list of attributes worthy of aspiration on the part of every believer! Lord, Paul gives a fine list of qualities for which leaders, such as myself, should seek and strive. So many eyes are upon us. Most importantly Your eyes, Lord. Each and every day my goal must be to do what pleases You. And, yes, part of it is adhering to guidelines set in Your Word – that is very important – but I truly believe that my love for You must be the strongest driving factor. I can follow all the proper rules and regulations in my relationship with Karen but if I am not motivated by love for her things start to fall apart, selfishness worms its way in, apathy and self-inflicted blindness begin to take its toll on our relationship. It is magnified even more so in my relationship with You, Jesus. Love has to be my motivator. Time and time again You show me Your love for me Repeatedly, I see examples of love that others have for You. Help me to love You more and more. That is what will keep me true, that will adjust my attitude. Please, help me to clearly see Your love for me – that alone is motivation enough.
Lord Jesus, Your eyes are upon me but so are the eyes of everyone around me. For good or for bad, people see what I say or do. Most of the time I am a good reflection of You… but way too often I am not. Please, enable me to allow Your love to fill me each and every day so I can be a lighthouse that will guide others away from danger and that will guide them safely into a harbor of Your love and grace!
September 7th, 2015, Mon, 6:30 am
“If It Looks Like a Duck…”
Father, as I sit here in prayer and contemplation I hear the wind blowing about the house. The wind of Your Spirit is about, as well, and it is a wind of change. I have taken a break from writing and it is time that I return to it. Over the last several weeks I have read through my writings from times past and, Father, I would ask that You create in me a yearning to draw as close to You now as I was then. May it become a burning desire that saturates my every moment and thought. You are my salvation. You are my sure foundation. Amen and amen.
1 Timothy 2:9-15 (<<click here)
Lord, this passage is a little thorny and from what I’ve read has several possible interpretations. Overall, I think Paul is saying that we need to be careful in how we as Your followers show ourselves to the world.
It is easy to be enticed to be outward, physically, acceptable to those around us. Now overall this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It becomes an issue when our appearance, the way we dress or appear physically puts more attention on us and turns others from You – when it becomes more about us and less about You. We are the better when we emulate You and encourage others to do the same.
Also, there is a lot of spiritual junk around us and we must be very careful to what we latch onto, fill ourselves with and promote. It’s very easy to go with the general consensus. The old adage, “If it looks like a duck and acts like a duck…” mmm…its not necessarily a duck. It may look “spiritual” and sound “spiritual” but it can still not be the truth, no matter who is proclaiming it.
Lord, help me to proclaim You in all I do with my life. May it be true to You.
September 6th, 2015, Sun, 6:42 am