Hebrews 12:2-3 “looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.”

Many people ask how I can get up every morning and do a quiet time.  They tell me they could never do that.

I remember when I began my quiet times my kids still took naps so I could do it in the afternoon – that was great.  Once naps stopped happening I had to find a time when I could fit my quiet time in and it fit the easiest in the early morning.  I could never have done this on my own; it is through the strength and encouragement of the Lord that I continue this discipline.

Several months ago I began receiving nudges to start jogging.  I never liked running and so I ignored the first several nudges.  The Lord is persistent though so nudges continued and opportunities opened up; the path simply unfolded before me and the nudges continued.  When I started I knew I would never succeed.  I told my friends and the Lord that I could not do this.  I have received guidance and encouragement on every level and slowly but surely I have pressed on. There are still days when I have to talk myself through it; remembering this is a practice in discipline if nothing else.

I cannot help but to see the parallels in the physical training and the spiritual training I have been doing.  They each take a call.  Each one takes a response and they also require perseverance and drive.  I tell you all, these things do not come from me.  They come from the Lord. As I prepare to jog my first 5K in a couple of weeks I give thanks and praise to the Lord and I continue on in my training. 

Lord,

You inspire me, you strengthen me, and you encourage me.  Thank you for pushing me beyond what I thought I could do in so many ways.  You gave all for me; I give all I can back to you.  May my life glorify your holy name.  Amen. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 “but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’  So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

At face value these words seem odd.  Why would we boast in our weaknesses?

Maybe it is just me (I don’t think so) but I am always striving to do better, to be better.  My goal is always to live as Christ lived.  I am humbly reminded that I am not, nor can I ever be, perfect.  God did not create humans to be perfect; he created us with free will.  Even in Genesis he acknowledges the imperfection in

humans.

As I prayed over this verse it became clear to me once more that because of my weaknesses I need God.  Because of my weakness and sin, I make regular communion time with the Divine.  I am brought to my knees in his presence to receive forgiveness and grace.

He tells us that his grace is sufficient for us.  I am able to see his strength and power because I am weak and powerless without him.  I can boast because it is only through his grace that I am made strong.  I will stumble and fall.

The blessing is that he is ready to pour his amazing grace on me whenever I come for forgiveness.  I am weak but he is strong.  Yes, Jesus loves me!

Lord,

Thank you for your love and grace.  I will never be strong without your strength in me.  Without you I cannot truly live.  Help me embrace my weakness so that I can fully embrace your strength and power.  Amen.

Luke 6:47-48 “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built."

There are a few kids’ songs about the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand.  This morning I had one of those songs running through my head when I woke up.

Floods are so damaging; they destroy many homes each year.  Water seeps into every tiny space; even places we cannot see or never knew about.  We only discover that damage when the smell of mold penetrates the air around us.

Sin is like that too.  If we stand on a shifting foundation in our faith, the sin seeps through our hearts and souls like water in sand.  There is no stability and we are destroyed as easily as a sand castle in a big wave.

We need the strong foundation of Jesus.  We need deep rooted faith to hold us firm during the storms and floods of life.  Dig deep in your faith.  Stand firm on the Rock of our salvation.  He will uphold us; always and in all ways.

Lord,

Storms are inevitable but rarely enjoyable.  As we experience them, let us feel your protection against the railing elements.  Open our ears and hearts to hear and act upon your words so our faith is built on solid rock.  You are the Rock and our salvation; I praise you and thank you this morning.  Amen.

1 Samuel 3:10 “Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak,for your servant is listening.’”

Do I listen or do I simply hear?

My friends tease me a bit because I do not hear well on the phone.  If they want to talk with me it needs to be in person so I don’t misunderstand or just miss what they say.

We live in a world of noise and distractions.  We are barraged with sound at every turn and when there is quiet, we make our own sound because we don’t know quietness.

It takes intent to really listen.  It takes quiet and focus to move beyond the noise of our world.  When we take time to really listen, it is amazing what we can hear.

Samuel was just a boy serving under the priest Eli when he heard his call.  Like us, he didn’t understand what or who he was hearing until Eli told him.  Then, when the Lord called again Samuel was ready, he was listening.

The Lord calls to us as well.  Have you heard his voice calling and misunderstood it or missed it altogether?  I pray you will take time to sit and listen with intent.  I pray you hear his voice calling you into love and action.

Lord,

Please forgive me for hearing and ignoring or not even hearing because of distraction or selfishness.  Open my ears and my heart to hear your voice, to hear your call and to be a willing servant like Samuel.  Help me truly say “speak, for your servant is listening.”  Amen.

Luke 14:27-27 “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters,yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Do I have what it takes to be a true follower, a true disciple of Jesus?

The twelve apostles dropped everything and followed him.  Whatever their livelihood was, whatever their lives held, they stopped it; they dropped it and followed Jesus.  I am willing to do the same?

I am receiving messages like this one form numerous sources.  It seems like everywhere I turn, everything I hear when I am listening says “Come and follow me.”  “Take up your cross and follow me.”

I am reading an old story about living like Jesus.  The characters in the story have agreed to live as Jesus would for one year regardless of cost.  They ask themselves “what would Jesus do?”

As I take this all in, I let it ruminate in my soul.  I know God is working and I know this is a time for me to wait in the Lord, so I wait, rest, and prepare.  Until then, I ask you to consider in your own life: “What would Jesus do?”

Lord,

I do not know the plans you have for me but I know you will reveal them to me when the time is right.  Help me be ready; help me let go of my worldly desires and hold more tightly to your Spirit.  Help me grow into your true disciple.  Amen.

Psalm 119:36-37 “Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways.”

I do not run.

I remember years ago when I was a kid, my older sister was on the track team.  I went out with her a few times to jog or run and did not enjoy it one tiny bit.

I am training for a 5k run/walk.  I have had several nudges over the last couple of years to try jogging and have successfully pushed them away.  When this 5k came up there was another big nudge.  The person organizing it posted a training schedule if we wanted to jog or run.  My younger sister signed up to do the 5k as well and when I asked if she had any desire to jog any of it, she said she wanted to jog the whole thing.  Okay.

Yesterday I did day two of my training to jog a 5k.  I am taking this on as spiritual work.  It takes discipline and training to do a run.  It takes the proper equipment and tools to do it well.  This is no different than my spiritual life.  That takes discipline, training, and proper tools as well.

I pray I will keep my eyes on him, and true life, and health as I continue this training and discipline.  I do not want to focus on what I see in the mirror but what I feel in my heart.  I do not want accolades; I want to draw closer to God.

Lord,

You know my heart.  Help me keep focused on you and my strength in you.  Keep my goal true; healthier body, mind, and spirit.  Through you and in you, I receive true life.  Amen.

Luke 18:1 “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.”

Jesus taught us how to pray.  He prayed throughout his life and ministry.  He prayed with people and for people.  He prayed in crowds and by himself.

Paul reminds us to pray.  In his first letter to the Thessalonians he says “pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances...”  He rephrases what Jesus told them in this parable; pray always and don’t lose heart.

I like to think I have a strong faith but when I look at my hope in prayer, I question myself.  I have seen the power of prayer; I have heard and read countless stories about the power of prayer.  Why do I come into prayer with only a part of me then?

James also tells us that we do not receive because we do not ask, or we ask for selfish gain.  Then there is the story in the gospel of Mark about a man asking Jesus to heal his child and he cries “help my unbelief!”

I need to delve in to prayer in a different and deeper way.  I continue to strive to pray without ceasing, to pray with hope and to seek the glory of the Lord rather than my own.  Another facet of this life-long journey...

Lord,

Help my unbelief!  I do not like to think I have unbelief but you know my heart better than I do, and you know there is self-doubt in my prayers.  Let these words of Jesus stay deep within me so that I hold on to them when I pray.  Keep all of these scriptures close to me, Thank you God!  Amen.