Here I Am
It is overcast this morning, Father, but a beautiful day none the less. I am here and You are with me – I am blessed. Drawn me to You. I am eager to hear what You have for me today. Amen.
This past Sunday during worship a passage of scripture was read from the book of Genesis (Genesis 22:1-14 <<click the green). It’s exciting when you hear a familiar portion of Scripture and something “new” grabs your attention.
In this passage, it was the phrase “Here I am.” I’ve heard it before but my brain associates it with young Samuel in the temple (1 Samuel 3:1-10). I also recall that it is exclaimed by Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1-8. But I didn’t remember Abraham saying it and when I looked it up so did Jacob (Genesis 46:1-3) and Moses (Exodus 3:1-5)!
“Here I am.” Three small words…only seven letters in all but it communicates so much more.
Attentiveness – they were listening, they weren’t distracted by
anything around them
Willingness – they were ready to do whatever they were called
upon to do, they were ready and eager
Submissiveness – not one of them showed pride or arrogance,
each of them was in a state of yieldedness
Lord, every one of these individuals was a power player in Your Book. Their proclamation may have been early on in their relationships with You but it clearly communicates a willingness to obey and serve.
Lord, today I also want to cry out, “Here I am.” My desire is to be attentive to Your call upon my life for I am truly willing to serve You in whatever capacity need be. I submit to Your leading for You know best. Amen.
Aug 29th, Tues, 7:22 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, Sat, 8:29 am
Life on a Stationary Bike
I’ve needed to get back into my routine, Father, so here I am. I am up earlier than I have been recently. I’ve already taken care of couple early morning things and now it is time to give my full attention to You. Father, I would ask that You would enable me to once again get into the habit of this early morning practice. Amen.
As I sit here praying, I cannot help but hear the traffic as it zooms by the house. Many people, already at it earlier than I, are hustling to whatever they must do at this wee hour of the morning. And, of all things, an old song came to mind. Diana Ross sang this as the theme to the 1975 movie Mahogany. The opening lyrics are what came to mind.
Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to?
Do you know?
Our world never seems to slow down much less stop. School, jobs, responsibilities, sports, kids – the list goes on and on and on. Even when we “retire”, as I’ve heard many say, it seems to get even worse! We may be constantly on the go but “Where are you going to? Do you know?” Quite often life just feels like we are pedaling madly on a stationary bike. We’re wearing ourselves out but getting absolutely nowhere.
A big part of our problem is that we are not going the right direction or maybe it would be better to say that we’re not going for the right reason.
Lord, as You were preparing Your disciples for Your departure, You said that You were “going to prepare a place for [us]” and that “when everything [was] ready, [You would] come and get [us}”. You want us with You! You concluded by saying, “And you know the way to where I am going.”
The Apostle Thomas was quick to reply, “No, we don’t know, Lord…we have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
And this is the part so many of us miss, or forget…or ignore,
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:1-6 (<<click the green)
Lord, only by knowing You can we know where we’re going to. No more guessing, no more hoping in vain that we can get it right. Finally, we can get off that stationary bike for You are our destination. Help us to stay the path. Amen.
Aug 25th, Fri, 6:14 am
Down the Bunny Trail
I didn’t get right at it this morning, Father, and just remembered that I had yet to get with You today. I don’t want to miss the opportunity to do so. May I hear clearly what You have for me today. Amen.
A few weeks back at our Bible study, we talked a little about getting off on bunny trails. Bunny trails are when we are walking along the paths that God desires for us and something distracts us and off we go down a bunny trail. Now sometimes our tangents are unintentional and other times we do so out of disobedience.
I’ve never had a trained dog. The dogs I have had in the past were all ones that for the most part would have darted down any bunny trail after the smallest of distractions. For the most part, I could have called them and yelled until I was blue in the face and they would only return when they were good and ready to do so or when they were hungry enough to do so.
I have read stories and seen videos of dogs who are trained to be obedient. Though they may be tempted to the extreme, they do not yield. They do not want to go against their master’s wishes. Some dogs have even died rather than disobey, much to their master’s dismay.
Lord, why, even with all the training that many of us have had, do we allow ourselves to be distracted? Why do we so readily run down the bunny trails? I realize that You are patient…and loving…and forgiving…but why do I disobey? I know what You want of me but often I ignore it or drown out Your voice with busyness. Sometimes I may not hear You but other times I hear and trot on down the bunny trail.
The Apostle Paul wrote of this struggle – and it was his struggle, too.
15I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:15-20 (<<click the green)
Lord, forgive me for my wanderings. May I learn to obey my Master. May I not be so easily distracted. May I avoid the bunny trails – no matter how enticing they may be. Amen.
Aug 24th, Thurs, 8:07 pm
Pride
Throwback Thursday from June 22, 2015.
I’m so glad we have this time together. Help me to hear clearly and to act with conviction. Please continue to work with me throughout the day, teaching directing, correcting, so I will become more and more like you.
Ephesians 2:11-18 (<<click on the green)
Pride…a struggle for many…and I am no exception. But it sure takes many forms. Feeling like someone reprimands me for something others do all the time and my defenses go up. My wife says something that I take as criticism even though she may not have meant it that way and I get angry. Behind the wheel I suffer from it regularly, others driving slowly (or more slowly than I’d prefer), bad parking and pulling in front of me…all get a reaction and not a pleasant one.
And the list could go on… Lord, I am sunk on this one. Help me to think of You and when I do fail, to reflect on my problem and to begin responding in ways that would be more pleasing to you. I will trust in You to be able to be an overcomer of pride.
April 23rd, Thurs, 6:46 am