Pressing Onward

Most evenings or early mornings, when my sleepy head finally hits my pink pillow, I sigh and the last words from my lips are a prayer that God will redeem time that was lost today.  Now, this is not out of a feeling of failure (on most days!), but rather for me, it is a cry of my heart to rely solely on the power God holds to transform my family.

I cannot do it all or have it all.  Yes, I said it out loud.  I cannot do it all or have it all.  My day is full of choices and when I make one choice, I leave behind the other.  Philippians 3:13-14, "One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining forward toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Although, I am fully aware of the magnificent grace and mercy of God to allow us second chances in life, I am always teaching by young men that they have ONE chance to do it right and do it well.  My prayer is to instill in them the mindset to always put their best foot forward in all they do.  After all, it is for God they work and not men. God isn't looking for the fancy, but rather for the faithful.

Today is a special gift all in its own right.  I will not get a do-over and no other day will be like today.  So I wake up in prayer before my feet hit the floor, crying out to God for the wisdom and patience I will need to maneuver through the elusive "to-do" list.  I must be in sync with His leading voice, so I can walk in the way He has prepared for us.  Time can be redeemed by His power, however, I would like to be found faithful to the call the first time. 

As a I watch my boys write a paper and fill it with sentences that leave much to be desired, I learn that the process is part of the journey.  The process is important to work out all the kinks. They love the sentence because it's hilarious, not because it is the most well-written. But then, as I help them choose better words and format, it develops into a well written and hilarious sentence.  And my eyes are a little clearer to see that I too am not always in the best form, but as I bend my will to His, He fills in the gaps and allows me to be at my best for them, through Him.

As I move through my day, I can forget what is behind me and continue pressing forward to the ultimate goal.  I can find successes in day 13,590 of this marathon I am running. I can keep pressing forward toward the goal. 

Perhaps my prayer at the start of each day should also be.... "Oh Father, redeem me in today's process and journey."

Choices

To me, life is a mix of different colored threads that are constantly being woven together. Even when I am sleeping the Master is at work. HE is Sovereign and in the moments of life when everything seems to shut down and you are left with this ache... remembering that HE is still on the throne gives you just enough air to take another breath and move forward.

HE is in control, yet HE allows me to have a voice in my own life. So my choices are vitally important. Each decision I make declares my allegiance. It says outwardly what I really believe in my heart. I can be fearful and uncertain. I can have too many questions without enough answers. I can be crying out for the waters to be parted. These places are real.

I cannot stay there to be swept away by the feeling that this isn't what I would choose for myself. I must trust in HIS sovereignty and rest in the knowledge that He is a good God and the ever-changing circumstances of life do not change HIM.

I can imagine in my head the beauty that life beholds when you have that perfect view from a distance. All the surrendered cries of the heart, the praise from broken lips and the faith shouted out loud by the actions of servants willing to say "It all belongs to YOU."

Choices.

Each one matters. How am I making sure that I am making ones that matter for His sake?

Often, there is more laundry than I would like to see on the kitchen table.
There is more dust on tables and dishes in the sink.There are more papers that I'd like to be filed and paint left over from small hands that spilled it on the floor.

There is also the sound of laughter that is extremely contagious.
There is freshly painted hand-prints I will want when they are grown and on their own.
There is the sound of an eager first grader reading to his brothers the next Frog & Toad adventure.
There are discussions about what it would be like to walk on water and see Jesus raise from the dead.
There are two big brothers showing him how to build legos.
There are doors opened that I would not walk through just on my own.
There is a letting go of all those complications.
There is a sleeping baby in just his diaper.


And my heart cries out in praise for the gifts I have been given. My mind is full of too many thoughts to make sense of, so.... I surrender them to Him and walk in faith THIS day. For He is still on the throne and His watchful eye is upon me.

And there is life being woven together.....

Purity: Distractions

2 Corinthians 11:3 says, "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."

Paul's father-like heart for the Corinthians was concerned that they were being led astray and adding to the simple truth of Christ. I don't think that sounds too far off from where we are today. In all the things this world has to offer that we think simplify our lives, we actually find distractions and complications.

Do you remember our definition for purity? uncontaminated, blamelessness, undivided, uncompromised

Today we are going to park at undivded. I know that we have all heard before not to divide our allegiance to Christ, or not to lose our first love. I am afraid we have become a bit calloused to those ideas, because so much in the world is accepted. How is it I wonder that we have lowered the standard to include "socially accpetable" things, just because we see other believers doing the same things.

It is true that each believer must make decisions for themselves about what they will or will not do concerning things such as drinking, watching R rated movies, etc... But I am going to be bold in saying that I think the idea of being undivided in our thoughts, heart and actions applies to everyone! So then we have to ask, is there really room for all that other stuff?

The pursuit of Christ is an on-going process that each of us will grow, stumble, get set back straight and continue on and on through-out our life. Paul tells us that it is simple and pure.

My question for all of us today, is what do I do to "complicate" my devotion to Christ? What do I do that causes me to be "divided" with my time for Christ? He gets the best of us! (Notice I didn't say "should get the best") There is no time to waste in today's world to be divided on the issue of devotion to Christ.

Make a list of what you do tomorrow starting first thing in the morning. Then go back and look at where you could have made a different choice that would have simplified your life and left room for God. Where did you leave room to really be "available" for Him and His purposes? I understand that the world puts many demands on us and that lives are just plain complicated at times. My point here is that we do not need to add to those complications~emotionally, mentally, or physically.

It's time to clean up and move out all that that divides our hearts for Christ. Trust me, this will take some time praying and really evaluating our lives. Changes like these do not always come easy, but they definitley take that stance that you are choosing to continue in your "simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" rather than be led astray.

Stand firm on what you know is good for you and what God is asking of you. Do not be swayed by outsiders, who sometimes can mean good, but really just add to the confusion in our minds. Go to God and ask Him before seeking counsel from friends, parents, a spouse or boyfriend. Although they can have good intentions, they can also be a distraction to us really hearing directly from God what He wants for us!

James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

The meditations of my heart

God has been at work in my heart over the past two months and many things that He is revealing take much thought and time to process. So, when He parts the waters and opens my eyes to grasp what He is really saying I am so thankful! This morning, He did that for me~

This was a fresh start in itself because the past two weeks I haven't been able to fall asleep before 1 am and the morning comes so quickly. Last night I was asleep at 11 o'clock and woke up sharply at 6:00 this morning. And yes, my precious Lord was waiting for me to come and sit awhile with Him.

Through His word and my prayers this is what came out in my journal, words from God revealing the truth of what "life" is doing to us, His precious children:

The conveniences of the world have become distractions.

The ministries of many churches have become breeding grounds for pride and competition.

The lusts of the world have become socially acceptable to such a degree that they have hardened us to the reality of their harm.

The mis-spoken and mis-represented use of truth has softened us into believing that we cannot be bold, so as not to offend.

The heightened need for "stuff" has created a discontent in our hearts, so much that we don't even recognize it. We are actually fooled into believing we are content with this kind of life.

The compromise of our hearts has led us astray and the world has clouded the path of purity. They have made it look strange, weird, lonely, costly and old-fashioned.

So...I do believe that those qualities are the place where I should start, rather than the qualities I should try and avoid. Afterall, I am a child of the Most High King, purchased by the blood of Christ, who Himself was labeled by the world, yet persevered.

How much more do I actually stand to gain when I appear as though I have lost it all?