Waist-high Pudding
Father, thank you for a good night’s rest and that You continue to help me throughout busy days. I am so grateful for this time together – it’s the best habit I’ve developed in a long time! Jesus guide me through Your word today.
Colossians 2:8-9 (<< click here)
Lord, You want this mindset not just to apply to Paul and the heresies that threatened the church in Colosse but Your desire is for me to keep my eyes on You and to study Your Word in regards to my life here and now as well.
It is so easy for us to assimilate human thoughts and mindsets into our lives. They are not always in error but they can work their way in so much so that where we at one time would not have even considered them acceptable, now – at worst – just embrace them or – at least – begin doubting why we rejected them in the past.
I feel like I’m trying to make progress through waist-high pudding – Lord, I pray for Your wisdom that I may clearly see and understand Your will. And once Your will is made clear, help me to work it out in my life as You would – strong love comes to mind, firm but not hateful, compassionate but not apathetic. Help me to be strong and courageous as well – to stand up for what is right and to stand against what is wrong. And that applies to both sides of the issue* (Here comes the pudding again!)
Side 1: this way is right / me: no, it is not
Side 1: go my way or I won’t like you / me: it is wrong but I still love you
Side 2: that way is wrong / me: yes, it is
Side 2: let’s hate and reject side 1 people / me: no that is wrong, we must love them – Jesus loves them.
Lord, You love all of us, not just those that follow You and accept Your ways. You love us but by no means do You accept our actions. Help me to be like you – to love others unconditionally but to pointedly reject actions that are opposed to Your word and Your will.
*homosexuality, alcohol, marijuana, extra-marital sex, pornography, other religions, abortion and the list goes on and on!
June 11th, Thurs, 8:07 am
Strong and True
Father, help me to always keep You at the forefront of my life. Through thick and thin, help me to follow You with my whole heart, holding nothing back. Struggles and heartache will surely come but help me to cling to You. Wonderful blessings will surely come, as well, but in those times let the glory go to You and You alone!
Colossians 2:6-7 (<<click here)
…continue to follow CHRIST
…let your roots grow down in CHRIST
…build your lives on CHRIST
Doing these things will cause our faith to grow stronger in truth and will cause our thankfulness to overflow!
Lord, there’s a lot in these two verses! If I am consistent in following You (continue) I will be solidly grounded (roots grow down) and will be enabled to build on You as a solid foundation that will not be moved – my contribution to the building of Your kingdom will be strong and true.
Yesterday’s Our Daily Bread reading ties in here! Deuteronomy 8:11-20 stresses that when we take the credit for the blessings You’ve given us that we will fail! I can’t take the building materials You give me and use them to build what I want, where I want. A weak foundation and shoddy construction only lead to calamity! When I am obedient and give You the credit my faith will remain strong and gratitude will come naturally.
Lord, help me to always be looking to You for guidance and wisdom and strength and courage to accomplish the tasks a hand. Fill my thoughts and actions, so I will be a light for You shining brightly in a dark world!
June 10, Wed, 7:00 am
Joy and Pain
Thank You, Father, for a beautiful day yesterday! The opportunity to share in Ariana & Andrews special day and to catch up with other fine young people was a blessing. Looking ahead for this day please be with us – goodbyes are never easy. I pray for Massey, Karen and myself as once again life takes us down different paths. Thank You for the time we’ve had together.
Colossians 1:24-29 (<<click here)
Lord, You are showing me that I have the responsibility to proclaim a wonderful secret. At just the right time You came to us – a gift of unsurpassable worth! You came so You show us the way to have an intimate relationship with – by inviting You to live in us. It’s a wonderful gift and one that fills us with joy but it will not be a journey without suffering, for even Your journey was painful.
Help me with Your wisdom and direction, to warn and teach others about You so that we may all come to that point of perfection, that is maturity, that You have called us to. Help me to shepherd others along this life journey of joy and pain until we reach the end of this life, stepping across the threshold into Your wonderful glory for all eternity!
June 7th, Sun, 7:33 am.
Sand Off the Edges
Father, You deserve all my praise and adoration. Though life can get complicated with all of our diverse personalities interacting with one another, we can find, in You, a solid place on which to stand. Thank you, father, for who You are and that I can rely on You.
Colossians 1:15-23 (<<click here)
Lord, You are supreme. You know me through and through for You made me. You knew me before the world was created and You loved me (Ephesians 1:4) You came to live on this earth, so I (we) could be reconciled to God through You, that is Your sacrifice in giving Your life on the cross, took care of the sin that kept me from having a right relation with You. We made a mess that we were incapable of cleaning up – but we are the ones who drove the wedge between ourselves and Yourself. You, because You love us, took care of it at great cost to Yourself. We broke our relationship with You, we cut ourselves off from You, we thumbed our noses at You, we severed the link. You re-established the connection AND to beat all, in Your eyes – it’s hard for us to grasp – it’s like it never ever happened. No probationary period, no test to past, no earning back our status. Instead You bring us into Your very presence. You who are holy made us holy and if we have accepted the fact and believe in who You are and what You’ve done for us, we are “blameless as [we] stand before [You]without a single fault.” vs.22b
I’ve heard the concept 100’s of times in my life but I sit here in awe once again, as my mind tries to grasp it all. And to think You went forward with my creation knowing that all of this would have to take place to set things straight. All of this! I deserve nothing at best and yet You freely give me everything and our relationship is as if nothing ever came between us, on Your part no hesitation, no doubt, no holding back. Thank You is nowhere sufficient.
Lord, help me to live my life with what You have done for me at the forefront. Help my gratitude to be palpable! May it influence everything! How dare I harbor anger or begrudge anyone for what I perceive as a slight against me, my loved ones or my beliefs! Forgive me, Lord, for consistently doing so!
I pray Lord that You will continue sanding off all the rough edges of my being. Please make me into what I was created to be. Amen!
June 6th, Sat, 6:54 am
Prayer…a Powerful Thing
What a beautiful morning, Father! Thank You, for Your many blessings – for the exquisite detail of Your creation, for my home, the food on my table, my life, my abilities and my family. That’s just the tip of the enormous iceberg – for Your blessings are deep! Wide! Help me to live my life in that reality and to be grateful every moment!
Colossians 1:1-14 (<<click here)
Lord, I am struggling this morning. Things on my mind are distracting me, they are inhibiting me from concentrating on Your Word and focusing on what You want to say to me, help me.
Prayer…is a powerful thing. It obviously is how we interact, Lord. It is the way I speak with You and in the midst of that my desire is that I am attentive enough to hear You speak to me. It’s how we lift others up to You, their needs and struggles. Just mentioning that we are praying for others is an encouragement for them. Lord, help me to pray more effectively, help me to hear Your voice more clearly. Give me the assurance that it is You that I am hearing and the courage to act upon that Word. In this passage Paul mentions praying for the Colossians three times and it is full of love and encouragement. It is also full of formational Truth.
Lord, I know You hear all my prayers but I know I need to pray more like Paul. Help me to do more than to go through a list of names with a little thought of each one. Help my prayers to have depth and to weigh them with foundational truth. Bring to mind Your Word as I pray, enable me to link them together, claim Your promises, empowering myself and those for whom I am praying to be filled with Your power and wisdom and for all of us to be changed because we have been touched by You!
June 5th, Fri, 7:20 am