James 3:16-17 “For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.”

What motivates you?  We spend a large portion of our youth studying, gaining knowledge and learning how to accomplish things.  We find something we are good at or something we like and our daily lives are spend doing what we have learned and know well.  It is tempting to look around and see that the grass is greener somewhere else.  Then we begin to strive for more, feeding our selfish desires, wanting to succeed at everything we do.  It is when we stop focusing on who we serve and begin focusing on ourselves that we become envious and driven by our own ambition.  As these verses tell us, that can only lead to destruction.  True wisdom comes from God, not from our own beings.  The world tells us that we can achieve success if we strive for it and work hard.  Success to me is this: knowing at the end of the day I served the Lord.  If I manage to keep my ambition and my desires at bay, if I seek the guidance of God my success does not matter.  I have sought true wisdom instead of relying on my own.  This brings good fruit!

Lord of Wisdom,

We deceive ourselves if we believe we have knowledge.  It is only through your Spirit that we are given wisdom and knowledge.  Guide our steps and focus our drive on true wisdom producing good fruits for your kingdom.  Let us not seek our own ambitions but in humility seek to serve you.  Amen.

Romans 14:5-6 “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is a lot of discord in our world today just as there was when this book was written.  Humans are bound to disagree and feel that their desires and beliefs are better than others.  Some of the people Paul was writing to did not like to eat meat or drink wine.  Others found no problem with those things.  There are other things as well as these that Christians disagree about today.  I have come to believe that we will not ever agree on everything because we are individuals with different strengths and weaknesses.  We see things in our own light but there is one common denominator that we all share and if we can focus on our shared faith the other things become so much less important.  We all worship the one true God.  We are all created by the same Creator of the universe.  Let’s set our differences aside today and lift our voices together in praise and worship to our God.  He is steadfast and faithful, let’s be steadfast and faithful to Him, together.

Lord,

You call us to be unified in your name and as we have through all time, we still struggle with this call.  Help us embrace the differences you have created in us and set aside the differences that divide us.  We are all uniquely made by you and we are all your children.  Hear our voices; meld them together in unity to make a joyful and beautiful noise glorifying your Holy Name.  Amen.

Psalm 34:3 “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

As I woke this morning I could hear a steady rain coming down and remembered that it is supposed to rain most of the day.  The rain and clouds can be so depressing but the earth has been crying for rain here for a while and I can almost hear the sigh of relief as the rain soaks into the parched ground.  Water cleanses and renews.  I love the way raindrops look when they cling to a leaf or petal.  If you look closely you can see through the drop of water and whatever it is sitting on is magnified a little bit.  You can see the intricacy of the leaf or petal and the beauty of it at a different, closer level.  People are made up of about 75% water.  If we look at our bodies in that light, it should be easy to see that we are made to magnify what we cling to, just like a raindrop.  We can be a means for others to look at the intricacy and beauty of what is in our souls at a different and closer level.  As we look more closely we see God.  As we focus on God we realize we are made in His image and we are made to magnify Him.  Let the water you see, hear and drink today remind you that we are made to magnify as water does.  We are made to magnify our Creator, our God.  As water trickles down the driveway or out of your faucet, exalt the name of the Lord and we will exalt Him together!

Lord,

I lift your name high!  You bring blessings beyond words and beauty we have not seen before.  Let our beings magnify the beauty you created in us so that we also magnify you.  Lift our hands and our hearts in praise and honor to you this day.  Amen.

Acts 8:32: “Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this’ Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.’”

How often do I silently and willingly sacrifice anything without as much as a word?  This verse comes from a passage about a eunuch reading scripture and trying to understand it.  As I read this story and this verse kept coming to me, I realized that when I give sacrificially, I am often tempted to either bemoan my sacrifice or boast about it.  The prophet Isaiah saw the sacrificial love in Jesus and how he was led to slaughter just as so many lambs had been led to slaughter in atonement for sin.  The difference is that Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice.  After his death and resurrection the need to sacrifice for atonement was erased! He gave his life so that I can live, so that everyone can live.  Jesus brought so much to this world in his life on earth, the barrier he shattered with his death cannot be forgotten.  Because of Him I can come to the feet of God in prayer; I come clean and holy.  Because of Him I am able to lift my eyes to the Lord and know help will come.  I will give all I have because He gave all for me.  When I look at this again, what can I say, what words need to be said?  My gift is to the Lord.  Let it be between me and my God.

Lord God,

Forgive my selfishness.  So many times I do not see it at all; I need you to open my eyes.  Help my journey with you be between you and I and the sharing of that journey with others only bring blessings to them.  I am not a sacrificial lamb; I am your willing servant, saved by grace.  Help me share that grace and the story of it.  Amen.

Matthew 18:2-4 “He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

As I began my quiet time this morning I followed an instruction my pastor gave in church yesterday.  Meditate on how we, as individuals, can facilitate peace in our world.  As I sat and prayed for a scripture to meditate on, this is the one came to me.  Little children like peace.  When things are not fair or just, they seek counsel from an adult or elder to get things made right.  They do not like to see another person hurting and will strive to make people feel better whenever they can.  They realize and accept that they cannot solve some problems on their own and in true humility, they come for help.  If we come to God as children we come in true humility and seeking His help.  To enter the kingdom of heaven would be to enter a peaceable and just kingdom.  Jesus tells us in these verses we must be like children; we must be humble to enter this kingdom.  In Matthew 5 Jesus says “blessed are the peacemakers, for they are called the children of God”.  Here we are told children are humble.  My first step in making peace is to become humble, like a child, in the Lord.

Lord,

We try to force our ideas on others thinking this will bring peace but we end up making war.  Help us come to you, letting go of our desires for this world and seeking yours.  Open our eyes to realize we cannot bring peace on our own.  We ask for your guidance.  Help us become peacemakers; help us be your children.  Amen.

Job 37:15-16 “Do you know how God lays his command upon them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?  Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of the one whose knowledge is perfect”

This morning I ponder” the wondrous works of the one whose knowledge is perfect”.  When I look at my life, my family and to the world around me, it is beyond my understanding; how is this all part of a grand plan?  The story of Job is incredible to me.  It speaks of spiritual battle that our eyes cannot see and affirms that God is intricately involved in each life that He created.  God is all knowing, He created everything seen and unseen.  I have read the book of Job in the past and it has brought many questions to my mind but today the question is this:  Who am I to question the doings of the Creator of all?  I do not and cannot understand His grand plan and I have no way to fathom the vast knowledge He holds.  I am at peace with this small bit of knowledge for today; my Creator knows me, my family and the world around me and it is very much within His understanding.  He knows His plan and it will be revealed in His time.  I trust in Him and lean not on my own understanding.  I watch and learn and strive to show the love He gives me to others.

Lord,

You create new life with a word from your mouth.   You bring judgment and justice when there is no other way.  You refine and rebuild us to be the people you created us to be.  Help me release my questions to you and then simply trust in you, the Divine Creator, to run the show.  Use me as you will, for I am your creation.  Amen.

Romans 8:14-15 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.  For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.”

This is one of those mornings I needed to sit in my Father’s lap and pout.  I get up dark and early to have my quiet time and the last several days I have not received the blessing of an uninterrupted hour.  I started today feeling frustrated that my kids aren’t getting the sleep they need and this morning the only one still asleep in my house at 5:15 was my husband!  Grumble, grumble.  As I finally sat in “quietness” and gave up trying to listen and hear the Lord, I received the renewal I needed so badly.  Fear had crept in and began leading me into a moment of slavery again.  As I released all this frustration and realized that any moments I get in the presence of the Lord are a blessing, I felt better.  I pictured the times when my kids are just cranky and needing to sit in my lap for a few minutes; receiving the calm love of a parent.  This is what I needed and received this morning.  I was given the blessing of time after all and I sat in the loving arms of my Father.  I was blessed to just sit in His presence and receive renewing love so I could release the crankiness and remember the spirit of adoption.  My Father loves me as I love my kids.  His Spirit leads me, I am his child.

Lord,

Let your Spirit of Love lead me today.  When my kids are tired and a bit cranky, help me be the loving arms they can come to and receive renewal and peace.  Let me feel your loving arms around me giving me the renewal and peace I need.  Thank you for adopting me; I am blessed to be called a child of God.  Amen.