Not Consumed
Father, as I sit here with You this morning I am watching the fire as it dances about in the stove. It has an alluring beauty but as the minutes tick by the wood once whole and solid is consumed. Yes, it is used up, but in doing so it gives heat to the whole house. We prepare the wood by cutting and splitting and stacking and covering it, when these have been done, the wood is ready to serve. We have invested time and energy in getting it ready but until it is set aflame, it accomplishes nothing. If it is not used, over time outside factors, insects, fungus, and moisture will render it useless.
Lord, each of us was created for a purpose. We have been prepared, by Your hand, to serve as You see fit but, unlike the wood, we can choose to not be used. All that You have invested in us comes to naught.
We fear the fire…but unlike wood, we are not consumed, we are refined. The impurities in our lives are burning away as we are exposed to Your holy fire. It does not destroy us but brings us closer to what we were created to be. The sin of the world is purged and wholeness, found only in You, is restored.
Lord, more often than I care to admit, I can say with the Puritan writer, “I am utterly ashamed that I am what I am in myself; I have no green shoot in me nor fruit, but thorns and thistles…” But I also, as he, can proclaim,
“Help me in all my doings to put down sin and to humble pride.
Save me from the love of the world and the pride of life,
from everything that is natural to fallen man,
and let Christ’s nature be seen in me day by day.”
Amen.
Jan 5th, Thurs, 7:10 am
Fuel to the Fire
Father, over the last couple of weeks I have purposely not written much and have not posted at all. The rest has been beneficial in many ways abut I am glad to be writing regularly once more. I may have taken a respite from writing and blogging but I would never be benefited by time away from You. I am grateful that all along the way we have continued to walk side by side. Thank You, Father, for Your sustaining grace.
1 Peter 3:9 (<<click here)
Lord, as sin continues to drive our world, we cultivate the mindset of “it’s all about me.” We are all over getting what “belongs” to us – freebies, rewards, handouts, etc. we are just as bad at lashing out. Retaliation is the name of this game and we are obsessed with getting “even” – you hurt me, I hurt you. And if I can one up you, hurting you more than you hurt me, so much the better.
This may be the way of the world but it most assuredly is not Your way, Lord. Peter states Your truth when he writes,
“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you.”
We live in an upside down world and for many of us, it is extremely difficult to pull away from the multigenerational habit of retaliation – it’s how we’ve been raised! Every single one of us has roots, going way back, in lashing out and getting even. Sin is at the root of it all and has been there from the time sin entered the world. Cain took his anger out on Abel even though Abel had done nothing wrong. Cain wasn’t happy that his sacrifice had been rejected but Abel’s had been accepted. His anger was expressed in retaliation and his retaliation was murder. “God, You reject mine? Fine…You’ll not have his either!”
Retaliation is acted out every day. It’s all around us, from conflicts in the Middle East going back millennia to the driver flipping you off because of some driving infraction on your part. And retaliation takes us – all of us – nowhere but down.
Lord, as Your followers, we’ve got to put a stop to it – not doing so just continues to fuel the fire. We’ve got to stop paying back “evil for evil” and insult for insult. Believe it or not that’s the easy part.
The hard part? “Instead, pay them back with a blessing.” Lord, help us! Lord, help me… As You are, Lord, may I be…a lover not a hater. Help me be a giver and not a taker. Amen
Jan 3rd, Tues, 6:04 am
Drive the Formula
Thank You, Father, for a good day yesterday both in worship and with family. As this day gets underway several needs come to mind. Several family members are struggling with physical issues today and I would ask that Your hand be upon each person. May Your presence be known. May they have a portion of Your strength. May they be encouraged, knowing that Your children are lifting them up in prayer today. And if it is Your will, please place Your healing touch upon them all. Amen
1 Peter 3:8 (<<click here)
Lord, one of the greatest benefits of being a part of your family is that You set us up to succeed. We are often not successful when we allow “fleshly” – sinful – elements to filter into the mix. But if we keep our eyes on You and off the world we can accomplish great things.
Peter gives us an excellent formula. We are all to be of “one mind” – unified, pursuing the same goals. So many endeavors fall apart because we all have different agendas and quite often we push for things that benefit ourselves. Working together provides a bond and helps us to filter out fleshly elements.
We are called to “sympathize with each other.” Working together in a dedicated fashion we can’t help but see each other – we are drawn together. As we interact, our needs and struggles begin to surface and instead of driving us apart or allowing it to ostracize certain members of the whole; our interactions should enable us to respond with helping hands and receptive hearts to the needs of others.
This unity and sympathy is a natural outpouring of our “love” for “each other.” Love is our motivator and “covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) It’s the glue that holds us together. After all, Lord, Your “are love.” (1 John 4:8)
Another portion of the formula is to “be tenderhearted.” As we love each other, and as we become more and more like You, we become more sensitive to the thoughts and needs of others. And because of that love, our heart’s desire is to meet those needs – to love others not just with words but by what we do, as well.
And lastly, we are to keep “a humble attitude.” Others first, self last. Our desire becomes for others to succeed and to rejoice with them when they do. As John the Baptist states in John the Apostle’s Gospel, You, Lord, “must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” (John 3:30) You are to be first and foremost in our lives and as we live out that truth, our goal becomes the same in our relationship with others.
Lord, may this formula drive my actions each and every day with those whom I would interact. May who I am reflect Your presence in my life. Amen.
Jan. 2nd, Mon., 6:27 am
Love in Action
Another full day ahead, Father, and I would ask for Your blessing. May I feel your hand on my shoulder and Your love in my heart – may it flow through and touch every person I meet and every situation in which I find myself. Amen.
1 Peter 3:7 (<<click here)
Oh, Lord, I know the focus of this verse is very important but my mind is having a difficult time doing just that – focusing!
From a male perspective, women play an extremely important role in our lives. It is often a role that goes unlauded and unfortunately is often taken for granted. Husbands and sons enjoy all the benefits of our relationships with wives and mothers – clean laundry, good meals, tidy homes, etc., etc. Some of us may give out an occasional “thank you” but for many of us, it goes no farther than that.
We like to throw out that we’ve worked all day and just want to crash. Many women work all day and then come home to work all night, as well. I admit, Lord, I am guilty of this as well. There are times when I think to put more effort into helping out but most of the time I’m oblivious and just let things happen. And it just isn’t right. Lord, I need Your help. Help me to be more attentive, to notice when things need to be done and to do them. There are things I can do regularly that Karen shouldn’t have to worry about. Help me to strive for consistency, Lord, may I lovingly serve my wonderful, serving wife. Help me to lighten her load. Help me to not just speak my love but to put hands and feet on it, so as to put it into actions. Amen.
Dec 27th, Tues, 6:17 am
Lazy River
Good morning, Father! Though my bed was calling for me to stay, it will benefit me much more to heed Your call to come and spend some time with You. Time in bed would only benefit me for the here-and-now, where my time with You could very easily have benefits for all eternity.
Lord, it has been a few days since have I joined You here and I feel compelled to read from The Valley of Vision this morning. Here is a portion of today’s reading.
Save me from the love of the world and the pride of life,
from everything that is natural to fallen man,
and let Christ’s nature be seen in me day by day.
Grant me grace to bear thy will without repining*, and delight to be
not only chiseled, squared or fashioned,
but separated from the old rock where I have been imbedded so long,
and lifted from the quarry to the upper air,
where I may be built in Christ forever.
*feeling or expressing discontent; fretting
Lord, I would stand in agreement with the author who penned these words. It is so easy to just “go with the flow.” It’s the path of least resistance. We just float along, no resistance, just like everyone else. It reminds me of those “lazy rivers” at water parks. I just get in my tube and drift away down the flow – nice and easy. No frets, no worries…just… life.
But the thing is, life is not just a lukewarm life of ease. When the “ride” is over we don’t just get out of our tube and that’s it. If we don’t allow our course to be changed the “river” will lead us to a precipice to plunge off the falls into the bottomless abyss of eternal separation from You.
Just because it’s easy – just because everyone else is doing it – doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. In fact, it’s the worst choice possible!
Lord, may I pray with the Puritan author “save me” from the love of the world… from everything that is natural to fallen man. May I not pursue ease and acceptance but may I be caught by You to be what I was made to be – Your child – in Your image. Eradicate, Lord, the sinful nature with which I was born and may Your “nature be seen in me day by day.” Amen!
Dec 26th, Mon, 4:30 am