Hospitality

Hospitality at its core is following Jesus simplest explanation of Christianity: "Love God with everything and love people as God loves you." (my paraphrase of the two greatest commandments found in Mark 12:30-31) Again he says, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) This isn't just feeding the poor, though it is that also. Hospitality is showing people God's love. I know how I feel when no one seems to be answering my texts, phone calls, e-mails, whatever; and I feel like there is no place for me. When people are too busy to spend time with you and no one will attend to your needs, whether they be physical or emotional. Life can be an empty place if we let it become that. But God has called us to something better: to live out the Kingdom of God in Heaven here on Earth. Who will you meet that God doesn't love and doesn't want to have a relationship with? No one!
I am reminded of a song by Brandon Heath entitled "Give Me Your Eyes." (click on the song title for a link to the video on YouTube.) Here is the chorus:

"Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see"

Hospitality is about giving of yourself to love people as God loves them, and as God loved you. We live in a hurting world, but God gives hope and salvation. It is our duty and privilege to tell them about it and to live it out to them.

Reflection Questions

Q: How comfortable are you with being the host or hostess?
A: Not very. I don't really feel like I have a lot to give when it comes to hosting people. I don't have a home to host people in or anything like that. But when I do, I've tried to be hospitable with what I have.

Q: How might Jesus want to use your heart and home as a shelter for others?
A: Well, I feel that God has used me to be friend to the friendless. When people need someone, I am there for them. I know what it feels like to reach out and have no one answer you. I think that God wants to use me to be the one that does answer. I may need to work on being a little more sensitive, though.

Discipling

Discipling means making disciples of those around us. This means spurring them on to greater works and a deeper relationship with God (Hebrews 10:24). Discipling can be done through two main avenues. Firstly, a Paul-Timothy relationship wherein a mentor disciples a mentee. These are beneficial for personal growth and accountability. The second way is to have a small group of individuals who all disciple each other. As iron sharpens iron, they encourage and empower each other to a fuller understanding of a Christ-filled life (Proverbs 27:17). Either way is awesome and we must understand that as a Christian, it is the responsibility of each one of us to both learn from each other and to build each other up (Matthew 28:19-20). This is how Jesus lived as he grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).

Reflection Questions

Q: Discipline and disciple come from the same root. What sort of reaction do you have to the word discipline?
A: Well, this:

5And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:5-11

When I endure hardships, I remember James 1:2-4 where it says to consider it "pure joy" when bad things happen because they produce perseverance and spiritual maturity. I want to grow as a Christian and as a person as Jesus did; and that means that I'll have to face trials. Life isn't easy, but as Luke 1:37 and Philippians 4:13 tell us: with God, I can do this.

Q: How are you intentionally partnering with God to become who he intended you to be?
A: This was a stinging question. I read it several times and almost didn't choose to answer it and instead answer an easier one; but it's an important question. What am I doing to become who God wants me to be? I do go pray in the chapel sometimes, I go to church, listen to Christian music, etc.; but I'll have to admit that I'm not doing so great at this one. I could give a million excuses for this, but at the end of the day, if God isn't my number one priority then what is? I try to read my Bible, but I find it hard to find time alone to myself, and when I do I don't really want to read. I shouldn't get too down on myself, because I know that God is working on me. Everything I do seems to bring me closer to him and I think that my love for him is evident to those around me, but how much personal time do I intentionally carve out to spend time alone with God? The answer, if I could be transparent for a moment, is that it is not enough. Every night, I go to bed thinking that I should have done more. I do know that I am where God wants me to be, but if you're reading this, I ask that you'd pray for me that I could find/make the time to read my Bible, pray, and otherwise spend time with God. This is something that I've been convicted of as of late, and I pray every night that God will have his way in my life. So, I'm going to work on this, but the answer to the question at this moment is: not enough.

Community

Community is the practice of being with fellow believers and seeing the value of people outside of yourself. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul discusses how we are the body of Christ, and each member is a part of it. What would the body be without eyes? What would it be if it were all eyes and nothing else? The body of Christ is intended to be more than just a lone ranger; it is to be a collection of individuals corporately surrendering to the will of one: Christ.

Reflection Questions

Q: What kind of connection does Christ want you to have with Christian brothers and sisters?
A: I am a servant of God, and how can I show my love to him but by obedience and service to others? I seek to serve those around me as friends and brothers in Christ. We are a family, and I will do what it takes to encourage and empower those around me to live as Christ lived and to live out his desire for their lives. I pray for those God lays on my heart. I also pray that God will use me to fulfill these purposes so that my talk will not be empty, but that it will be proven by my walk. Each one of us is to set an example for those around us. Our connection is love for God and love for people.

Q: How does the life you are leading reflect the value Christ places on belonging to the family of God?
A: I regularly seek to be part of ministries bigger than myself, to be involved in corporate worship and small group study, and to personally minister to those God has placed around me. I try to be as Paul was in 1 Corinthians 9, especially in verse 22 when he says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some."

Chastity

Jesus was the perfect example of purity in sexuality. He was not someone who did not have feelings, emotions, desires, hormones, and temptations. He was a man -- real flesh and blood. He did not sin, and he practiced self-control in all areas of his life, including his sexuality. He remained pure in an oversexualized culture where he came in contact with the sexually immoral, prostitutes, adulterers, etc. He loved them with a pure godly love and not with an impure carnal physical response falsely labeled "love."

We are the body of Christ, and our bodies are temples of the Holy One. How can we excuse disgracing this body, his temple? Chastity is not the absence of a drive, but the choice to control it and live according to God's law of love. There is no shame or fear of embarrassment in perfect love. Sexual impurity is a perversion of God's desire for our lives and for us to have healthy human relationships with one another. It is taking a natural desire and abusing it in the same way that overeating abuses the desire to eat. It is never too late to become pure. God has the power and the desire to restore us to what he has made and called us to be: pure.

Reflection Questions

Q: What impact do movies, magazines and easy access to pornography have on you?
A: All of the media in our current culture seeks to tempt us into giving into our carnal sexual desires. Movies and television form their plots around "romance" and exploring human sexuality. They glorify promiscuity and experimentation. Movies like "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" mock purity and seek to 'rectify' the 'problem' of seeking healthy non-sexual relationships and waiting until marriage. Magazines depict 'beauty' as directly proportionate to the amount of skin you're showing. Pornography sits on racks in convenience stores and gas stations and floods the internet with an overwhelming concentration of filth. It is so hard to keep pure when exposed to these things. That is why I must remember how God commanded his people: He commanded them to be different -- not for the sake of difference, but to purify themselves from worldly institutions of haughty eyes and impure thoughts. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. (John 15:19, 17:14; 1 John 2:15; James 4:4)

The way that I handle this is to avoid watching things that force me into that mindset of sexual depravity and perversion. I do not use the internet in ways that lend itself to delving into impurity. Anything that hinders is cut off. (Hebrews 12:1; Matthew 5:30) I can't control every message that comes into contact with me, but I will eliminate what I can control.

Q: How has your faith helped or not helped you face issues of your own sexuality?
A: My faith allows me to have a meaningful relationship with God and to find my self-worth and my value in who I am in Christ. I am not subject to the world's depiction of success and worth. I am a son of God, what could be more important than that?

I trust God with my relationships. If I am focusing on "fulfilling my needs" and not being alone, then I am looking for the wrong reasons. I am who I am because Christ lives in me. I will not give myself away to the whims of the worldly self, because it has been put to death. Christ lives in me, and he is the focus of my life. If any relationship gets in the way of this or seeks to hinder it, then that relationship is not worth having.

God's law of love is stated in the two greatest commandments by Jesus: Love God with everything and Love People. We are to share God's love with the people around us. This most definitely does not mean using them for pleasure or destroying their purity. Chastity is being who God made me to be despite the pressures that surround me.

Accountability Partner

An accountability partner is someone with which I can "give a regular and honest account of my choices, priorities and temptations to a godly and wise companion who points me to Christ." This means finding someone to trust and share life with. To be real with them and to allow them to be real with you will allow you to discuss the difficult questions and challenges that you face. We were not created to live alone, but in community with others.

Reflection Questions

Q: Who do you talk to about your spiritual life? Are you comfortable sharing your faith journey with another?
A: I have a small group which I share my spiritual life with. We feel pretty comfortable with it because we all understand that we are God's children. We started with the premise that we will encourage not judge.

Q: How do you celebrate and share God's work in your life with others?
A: When I become aware of God working in my life, I usually try to share it with as many people as possible. I want people to focus on the faithfulness of God rather than their own failures.

Spiritual Direction

Spiritual Direction is basically forming that mentorship relationship with someone. This was displayed through Jesus and his disciples, Paul and his mentees (or "children"), etc. It's good to share your life with someone. We are not alone and the Bible tells us repeatedly to support one another, confess our sins to each other, and to pray for one another. Even in our Christian community, it is not always appropriate to shout out your sins in front of the whole church; but we do need to have those in the church that we are close with. They become positive influences in our lives and we are held accountable, if by nothing else, by the fact that we are also an influence on them. We can be an encouragement to one another, or we could try to live this life as lone wolves. But to truly live a Christian life is to live as Christ lived: in communion with God and man.


Reflection Questions

Q: How does the idea of attending to the presence and work of God in your life with a spiritual director attract or repel you?
A: I like the idea of having a mentor to a point. It would be great to have a "spiritual father" who would push you to be better than you think you could be, who could encourage you with a great example of Christ-like behavior. But I have a hard time being taught by someone who I don't believe is taking God's word seriously in their own life.

Q: Where have you been aware of God's voice, movement or initiative in your life during the past six months or year?
A: Well, I wouldn't be at college studying to be a youth pastor if God had not called me to it and led me here.

Solitude

The devotional compares the discipline of solitude to the idea of a young couple in love; they want to spend time alone with each other to cultivate the relationship. We need that with God. The book says this of solitude: "The world of recognition, achievement and applause disappears, and we stand squarely before God without props." Removing the temptation to impress those around us or appear to be righteous, we can open up before God and be real with him -- allowing him the opportunity to search our hearts and find (and maybe convict) our true motives. It is a place of reality and intimacy. When God wants to speak to us, we should be open to listen.


Reflection Questions

Q: What tends to pop into your mind when you are alone?
A: What is everyone else doing? What could I be doing right now?

Q: What do you resort to doing when alone?
A: Usually I try to entertain, or "distract", myself by surfing the net or watching a movie, or trying to find someone to hang out with.

Silence

We are afraid of silence because we don't think that there is anything to gain from it. What am I learning? What am I accomplishing? Am I wasting my time? We like to think about witty quotes we've heard and dwell on good messages, but do we ever take the time to sit in silence and let that soak into our minds. Do we unplug long enough to let the spirit speak to us? We need to spend time in silence, in order that we may begin to open ourselves to hearing God speak in our lives.


Reflection Questions

Q: In Revelation 8:1 we read that there was "silence in heaven for about half an hour." What might be going on in heaven's silence?
A: If I were in heaven, I would be silently sitting in the presence of God gazing upon His awesome wonder. They were probably just taking some time to remember where they are and to focus on the One who gives purpose and life to those who receive it.

Q: How do you avoid or resist silence?
A: Usually, I will hang out with friends or surf the net or listen to music. Other times I may work on homework or go for a run or do something else that is aimed at bettering myself. This is why the day of rest (Sabbath) is so important -- it gives
me time to focus on God and to rest in his presence.

Secrecy

The devotion for today talks about secrecy in two different ways: the good and the bad. Both of these are important to keep secret at times.

People have a tendency to want to shout out all the good things that they have done. We will regale our peers with tales of what we have done or the volunteer work we were a part of. It's not bad to be proud of Christian service, but we must remember that Jesus said "When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret." When we serve, it is in service to our King -- not for our own benefit or glory, but to the glory of the Father. Jesus said that we will be rewarded in heaven when we do good deeds in secret.

The other side of this is confidentiality. There are some things that we just shouldn't talk about in public; but there are also times when someone tells us something that we should not repeat. We must refrain from gossip and slander. Secrecy allows people to be at ease and comfortable with being honest and open. We should respect that.


Reflection Questions

Q: What is it like for you to keep secrets or maintain confidences?
A: It feels good to know that I can be trusted and also that when God blesses me, he knows that I won't brag (usually) or claim it for myself -- which opens me up to receive much more.

Q: How might the discipline of secrecy address an addiction to approval and image management?
A: Keeping myself from telling everyone "what I've done" will help me to be joyous in the image that God has of me as his son rather than worrying about whether I am impressing those around me.

Discernment

Today's practice is that of discernment. I have generally thought of this as a spiritual gift in the past, but really it is the practice of trusting in God's best intentions and seeking them out. There was an interesting quote in the devotional that snagged my attention:

"St. Ignatius of Loyola notes that sin is unwillingness to trust that what God wants is our deepest happiness. Until I am absolutely convinced of this I will do everything I can to keep my hands on the controls of my life, because I think I know better than God what I need for my fulfillment."
-David Benner

The focus of this principle is in the fact that we don't know everything, but God does. When we rush to make a decision or make important choices without first seeking God's will and WAITING for the answer, we fail to practice discernment.

Reflection Questions

Q: How does the way you spend your time and energy reveal what is important to you and reflect the deep desires of your heart?
A: I enjoy spending time serving and doing ministry. Showing God's love is what is important to me.

Q: When making decisions, do you procrastinate or become so uncomfortable with waiting that you jump in and decide so you don't have to endure uncertainty?
A: That is the natural tendency -- to first procrastinate and then make a hasty decision -- but I am being taught to wait for the answer. This is hard because it has pushed me past the "due date" of decision as I see it and has me trusting wholly in God's good will.

Detachment

Detachment is the practice of letting go. Jesus came to the earth and forsook all of his "superpowers" and denied himself for the sake of us. He did not look to what he could do or what immediate facade of glory he could bestow upon himself, rather he continually looked toward God's purposes and worked to fulfill His purposes rather than his own. We are to follow this example. Jesus said that whoever would follow him would have to deny themselves and follow after him. We should not cling to earthly possessions or self-glorification, but should see the importance in God as the center of our lives. This is, after all, the 'chief end of man' (Westminster Catechism.)

Reflection Questions

Q: How do you handle failure and weakness, suffering and loss? What does this tell you about how you attach and adapt to the world's view of success, power and self-worth?
A: I don't usually see things in the same way the world does. I consider success a righteous relationship with God -- nothing more, nothing less. I do well here, but that is merely an outcropping of the character with which seeking God first has made in me.

Q: What are some specific ways in which mistakes and failures have worked for your good?
A: Every time that I lose something, I have the opportunity to gain so much more. Especially moving to college and leaving my life back home was a challenge for me; I knew that I would miss all of it and have to start over. But through the letting go of what I had "achieved," God was able to show me more about myself and who I am in Him.

Confession and Self-Examination

Today's discipline can basically be summed up by saying, "Be real." Be real with God, be real with others, be real with yourself. Don't pretend that you are something that you aren't. Be joyful in who God made you, yes; but do not claim to be without sin. Don't think that there is nothing left for you to improve. If you are in a right relationship with God, he will show you what you are to do. You will become more like him in your character and you will realize that there is always something to be learned. This should not disappoint us, but should rather excite us with the possibilities of what God wants to do through us and in our lives.

Reflection Questions

Q: Does your confession tend to be along the lines of "Forgive my sins, dear Lord" rather than specifically naming your sins one by one before the face of God? What does the lack of specific confession do to self-awareness?
A: It causes thoughts of being human and fallible as excuses for sinning and displaces the guilt, shame and responsibility.

Q: Which of your sins hurts those closest to you?
A: My attitude can sometimes be very bitter.

Unplugging

Ironically, I type this while listening to music on my computer and mourning the death of my cell phone. With my internet not plugged in either, I have no communication with the outside world. This is where we need to learn to unplug. Turn off the music (which I did,) put the cell phone on silent, stop checking e-mails and texting, log off of facebook. Instead of facebook, why not instead talk to someone face to face. The author of today's devotional told a story of a time when a friend of his in an office ten steps away from the author's office sent him happy birthday wishes electronically without ever coming to share the merriment in person. God did not create us to be plugged into the Matrix; He made us to cultivate relationships with him and with each other. After all, Jesus said that the two greatest commandments were first of all to love God, and secondly to love your neighbor. How can we do that without first silencing the toxic squeal of electricity?

Reflection Questions

Q: Are you online for both work and pleasure? What do you like about being online? What don't you like about it?
A: Yes, I use the internet for school as it is required and also to connect through facebook and e-mail with friends and family. The internet is a powerful tool and it's cool that I can connect with someone without having their number or knowing if they're busy. I don't like that it is an easily accessible distraction that has the ability to distract me from what I need to be doing, i.e: homework.

Q: What sort of temptations does cyberspace hold for you? How do you address these temptations?
A: Cyberspace sucks me in and doesn't easily let go. If I start playing online games, I will never want to stop. Just checking facebook real quick can turn into surfing through profiles, pictures, and news feeds. The only thing I know to do (second to prayer) is to do what needs done before I even check what's going on in the cyber-world.

Slowing

All of life seems to be a race. In the movie Get Smart, Agent 86 is walking down the street and is run into by Agent 99. He tells her that life isn't a race. She replies with, "If it were, I would win." This is often our view of things. We think that getting somewhere faster is the road to fulfillment. But, as I read on a disposable glove box, "Quality is a journey, not a destination." When we rush through life, we miss all of the little moments that make up life. We miss out on the joy of living and just being. When we go to the store, we have a goal in mind -- to get a few specific things on our list -- and that is all that matters. But what about all the stuff we forget to enjoy? The car ride, the scenery, the people, the amazing intersection of a thousand busy lives clashing together without even stopping to say hello.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Psalm 46:10 -- "Be still, and know that I am God." There is a reason that God commands us to rest on the Sabbath. We need to take the time to let God work and speak in our lives. We need to start noticing all that God has blessed us with. We need to take a moment to share our lives with one another and show God's love in our lives. We need to slow down.

Reflection Questions:

Q: Are you addicted to hurry, rush and adrenalin? Explain.
A: In some ways I am. I want to get to the next thing, and I want to be done with where I am now. I want to get my work done as fast as I can.

Q: How do you feel about being stuck behind cars that go slowly? How do you react to a slow sales clerk? What is your response to children who dawdle?
A: When I am alone, I quickly grow impatient in these situations. But when I am with someone or share the moment with someone, I can see how enjoyable it can be to just live in the moment and enjoy the time that we have. Looking back, I can see how much I have enjoyed just being with people in the car on the way to something. The conversations, the humor, the intersection of perspectives .... even the silence is worth living for. I pray that God will give me the humility to realize that where I am is where I need to be and to help me to live in the moment, every moment.

Simplicity

In a society full of clutter, our lives are defined by how much we have and do. But the more things we shove into our crowded lives - the more things can go wrong. Simplicity is letting go of this nature of covetousness and being content with what we have. As Paul said:

"... I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation ... I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Philippians 4:11-13

All the things that we have and try to do can hinder our walk with God. Maybe they distract us from our devotions or spending time with our family. Maybe they lead us down dark paths of thought. Or maybe they alter our perception of our selves.

We are made in the image of God! Our value is not in how much stuff we have or how many groups or activities we can be a part of. Our identity, our value, our purpose for living -- is found in a righteous relationship with our Father in heaven.

Be simple. Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no."

Reflection Questions

Q: How has the "more is better" mentality shaped you?
A: I sometimes get bored and think If only I had that, then I would be entertained. But that never works out. Years ago, I was depressed and lonely and had no purpose in my life. So I decided to buy an Xbox 360. I thought that having a 360 would keep me entertained and help me get through the tough times. But I was wrong. An Xbox can't give me purpose. I needed to find my identity in God and He would give my life purpose and meaning. And that is what I eventually came to do.

Q: When have you downsized? What was it like for you?
A: About a year ago, I had a messy room in my messy apartment. My room was still a mess from when I had shared it with someone, but I was at this time the only one living in my room. I cleaned up everything and put it all in storage. I simplified my room down to a bed, a couch and a chair. No TV, no video games, no movies or legos or toys or trinkets -- just a few books from church stacked in the corner for reading. It was awesome. It brought my life down from trying to juggle a lot of things at once to where I was simply living and living simply. There was peace in just being, instead of trying to own and display and play with and ignore everything at once.

Self-Care

Today's devotional is on the importance of taking care of yourself. We have to realize that we are all made in God's image -- in his likeness. We often think that our body is separate from our soul, but being made in the image of God and His Divine Trinity, we likewise have three aspects to ourselves. We have our mind, with which we choose to follow God. We have our souls, or spirit within us, which calls out to the Spirit of God. But we also have our bodies which according to 1 Corinthians 3:16 are the temple of God.

We need to realize that Christ gave His life out of His great love for us, and we can not take that for granted. We are made to live healthy lives and to take care of our bodies, but we often think that our bodies have no bearing on our spiritual lives. This is not true. Think how cloudy your mind can get when your body doesn't get enough sleep and how much clarity can be found in sleeping well and eating a good breakfast.

Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship." Our lives should reflect God's glory and wonder -- and our bodies are the most visible indication of how we value God's gift of our selves.

Reflection Questions

Q: How have you neglected caring for your health, your body, your relationships? How might Jesus be inviting you more deeply into some area of self-care?
A: I don't really exercise. I'm not physically lazy, however. I do look for opportunities to play sports with people, but I guess I could be a little more adamant about ensuring that this happens at least a few times a week.

Q: What is experiencing burnout like for you? What do you do to recover? How has it changed the way you live?
A: I don't get enough sleep and then I can't focus on anything and I am irritable. I don't do anything to recover. It keeps me from being everything that I could be.

Retreat

As a good follow-up for yesterday's devotional on rest, today's reading focuses on retreat. Retreat is often thought of as a time where we go and stay up late, play a lot of games, have a lot of worship services and get our heads crammed full of spiritual advice. But retreat is traditionally time taken to be alone with God and to rest in His presence, putting aside all of the cares and concerns, the work and responsibilities, the stress and busy-ness, etc. of life. This is like going to a monastery and just relaxing and spending time with God for a few days. This kind of rest will recharge us to be able to go back to our work with more fervor and a renewed passion. God doesn't plan for us to get burnt out, he wants us to rest in him: "Be still, and know that I am God."

Reflection Questions

Q: Can you describe your desire to get away alone with God? What is your soul aching for?
A: With all of the assigned reading of the Bible, it is currently difficult for me to open up my Bible and not see it as homework or a chore. I want to have back the hunger and thirst for righteousness that I had before -- that intense desire that I had to be in God's presence and to meditate on His Word.

Q: How does simply being with God sound to you?
A: Just peachy. I think that I need to set apart a time every day to say no to my friends, put aside the homework and reading assignments, and just delve into the Word of God and rest in His presence.

Rest

Rest is in the design that God used when he made us. That design is His own image and likeness. He worked and rested, just as we should. When we don't find time for rest, we end up making all of life a chore. We're too exhausted to do what relaxes us and we don't have the attention span or energy to focus our minds long enough to properly connect with those we love or take time to spend with God. We need rest. Not just sleep, but other restful activities as well. We can take a walk, play a game with the family, kick back and listen to some music, etc.

Reflection Questions

Q: What exhausts you or keeps you working past your limits?
A: I have a lot of reading to do and I fall asleep every time I try to read it. The stress of knowing that I'm not getting anything done yet can't sleep at night combines to keep me without rest.

Q: What is is like for you to set aside time to play? How regular and inviolable is that time?
A: I don't take time for play. It just happens while I'm trying to study.

Practicing the Presence

Today's devotional practice is called "Practicing the Presence." It is giving emphasis to the presence of God in our lives throughout the day. The idea is that at different times and between activities a prayer could be said or a pause for listening could be had. One thing that the book said that I liked was when it quoted from C.S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer: "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God." Immanuel means "God with us." When Jesus left this earth he sent to us the Holy Spirit so that we will never be alone. From the beginning of time, when God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, God has always been with us. It is in practicing setting aside little moments to reflect on God's presence that we can renew our hope, joy and peace throughout the day.

Reflection Questions

Q: Where do your thoughts go when they aren't focused on work or diverted by amusement?
What do these thoughts reveal about your concerns and priorities?
A: When I'm left alone with my thoughts, they often go to what God wants me to do and whether I am attentive to that or not. A lot of times I also start to think of all the things that I have to worry about and I struggle to remember that God is who he says he is. These thoughts reveal to me that God is the highest priority in my life and that my concerns are mainly that I will be wise enough to know when it is that I should act and when it is that I need to, as God says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Q: What is it like for you when God shows up at an unexpected moment?
A: It is definitely refreshing as a reminder that God is living and active in my life. Sometimes I forget how much He loves me, and I feel like I'm on my own. But I'm not, and sometimes He just has to remind me of that.

Journaling

Today's devotional was on journaling. It presents an opportunity for us to write down and get out what frustrates us, what we're worried about -- which should also be things we're praying about -- what we're excited about, what we're praying for, what passions we have and what burdens we have. Through this, we can manage our thoughts and prevent public outbursts of emotion. We can also look back and see where the journey has taken us and be able to have documented when God worked in our lives or on our behalf. It can reveal to us deep-seeded issues or themes in our lives that we may have been otherwise unaware of. Journaling helps us to become transparent and honest with ourselves and also before God.

Reflection Questions

Q: How does writing help you focus or know what you think?
A: It seems more official and concrete than just thought. It's easy to think things without analyzing them. Figuring out how to articulate my thoughts does something to calm my mind and look at it more productively. It gives me clarity of thought to know that words can express what I think.

Q: How does the thought of someone reading your journal strike you?
A: Well, I've actually had someone read my journal before so I know what it feels like. It feels like your inner thoughts were invaded. It's like there is no safe place for you to express yourself. It makes it hard to be real and open even with yourself - which is where you have to start if you plan to be real and open with anyone else.

Contemplation

The devotion today was on contemplation. It pointed out the many ways that our western civilization places importance on doing rather than being. We are so focused on our accomplishments, getting things done, and trying to get ahead or for some of us to just keep our head above water that we neglect the beauty of just being. Why is it even important to be?

Doing will come to an end just as we find something else to do. But being is something that doesn't end. The book reminded me that our God was the God who said, "I AM WHO I AM." That is a statement of being. We worship God not just because of what He's done, but because of who He is. We cannot fully know the character of a person, but through meditation and contemplation we can learn to know who God is more and more each day.

Reflection Questions
Q: What sort of things do you contemplate? What happens to you when you contemplate?
A: Well, when my mind goes into deep thought and I consider what I know and what I don't know, I realize how truly amazing God is. He is all knowing. If I knew the stuff about people that God knows about them, I'd probably be a hermit. His love is real and His love is for everyone. My contemplation can't help but end in praise.

Q: How do you contemplate your spiritual journey and relationship with God?
A: When I think about my spiritual journey, it is at first very saddening but then at last very joyous. I can see some of my faults and I can sometimes see how those have caused me pain or hardship, or how the growth out of them can be unpleasant. I think, with all I've learned ... I'm still not much. And that is where the joy comes in. Because of the fact that I serve an awesome God, it doesn't matter how inadequate I think I am. It's not about me, it's about Him. I've often said, "I'm nobody's tool but God's." I can rejoice in this:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Holy Communion

Today's devotional is something that is really important but also often done incorrectly -- with the wrong motives. Communion isn't something that we do for God. We can never believe that it is through something that we do that God loves us. It is never a matter of "what we can do for God." God needs nothing from us and He has done it all. That is amazing!

The devotional mentioned what is called the "paschal mystery" : Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says this, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." When we take communion, we are not just saying "I believe," rather we are saying that we will partake also in his suffering, his ministry, and his comfort.

We cannot take communion in an unworthy manner. There is a reason that we call it the "Holy Communion" -- it is sacred: set apart by God as a special offering. But the beautiful thing about it is that Jesus has already given it all. When he looked into the eyes of Judas the betrayer, he said to him, "This is my body, which is given for you." We are not deserving of this great sacrifice, this overwhelming love, but God gave it freely for us. Praise God!!!

Reflection Questions

Q: What is participating in the Lord's Supper like for you?
A: It is a joyous experience. Taking communion helps me to realize that there is nothing that I can do to earn God's life. I am reminded of God's great love for me and all that He's done in my life. It is a chance for me to respond intimately by taking part symbolically in the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Q: What do you hope to receive at the Lord's table?
A: When I prepare to take part in communion, I hope that I will have a renewal of my spirit. I don't ever want to be found "faking it." I want to be so real with God and it is my hope that He can lift my head up from my little world and show me a glimpse of eternity with Him and reassure me that I am loved and that I am in love.

Worship

Today's devotional was on Worship. The book talked about the different false forms of worship. It says that just going to church on Sunday is not good enough to be considered worship. Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Matthew 15:8) We can say all that we want about how awesome God is or how thankful we are for the gift of Jesus Christ, but we must be careful that we are not just going through the motions.

The chorus to a song by Matthew West entitled "The Motions" sums this up powerfully:

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

This speaks to me, because I don't believe that it's OK to just go through the motions or provide "lip-service" as Jesus said. God's great love for us demands that we respond by being real with Him. How can we worship Him simply by saying "Jesus is Lord" and not living it out?

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
-Romans 12:1

Reflection Questions

Q: How did a particular style of worship -- charismatic, traditional, contemporary, liturgical -- shape you and your image of God?
A: I was mostly raised with a mixture of traditional and contemporary styles of worship. This brings me to see God as someone to show reverence to in response to His awesome power and character, but also to praise Him for His great love and to offer all of myself in response to who He is.

Q: What about God moves you to worship?
A: "The Lord is my shepherd." He guides me, protects me, loves me, lays down his life for me, speaks with me, cares for me, feeds me, holds me, comforts me. What about God wouldn't move me to worship?

Sabbath

Today's subject is the Sabbath. In reading about the Sabbath, I thought that it was interesting that the plan is that for twenty-four hours, we should rest. Why would we rest for a day and not work? Because even God rested. In life, it is easy to get caught up in what we have to do. Between work, school, church, home life and social life, it is difficult to find a balance. There is just not enough time in the week -- and we're supposed to take one seventh of the week out? How are we to get our work done?

That is the problem that the Israelites had. When God gave them manna, they tried to collect it all at once and do as much as they could so that they didn't have to worry about it the next day. But any extra manna would not last through the night. So how about on the Sabbath? Ah, God did an additional miracle every week. On the day before the Sabbath, God commanded them to collect enough for that day and for the Sabbath so that they would not have to work on the Sabbath and they could rest. He made the manna last for two days instead of one.

Is it important that we rest one day a week? Just because God demonstrated it through the Israelites and it is one of the ten commandments given to Moses listed in Exodus 20, does that mean that it still applies today? Yes! This time of rest is more than just a day without work -- it is a time for renewing our commitment to God, seeking His face, remembering who we are and why were made, and remembering who He is and what that does for us.

I liked the last paragraph in today's devotional so much that I think I'll just quote it:

"Sunday generously hands us hours to look into the eyes of those we love. We have time for loving and being loved. Rhythmically, the sabbath reminds us that we belong to the worldwide family of God. We are citizens of another kingdom -- a kingdom not ruled by the clock and the tyranny of the urgent. God's sabbath reality calls us to trust that the Creator can manage all that concerns us in this world as we settle into his rest."

Reflection Questions

Q: What makes a sabbath day nourishing and replenishing to you?
A: It is refreshing to set aside all of my worries and to follow the command of 1 Peter 5:7 where it says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." It is good to know that while I may think that I can take care of myself through hard work and diligence, it is truly God who can grant me peace and rest. His plans are without fault, and it is good to remember that when I seek his face and walk in the center of His will, I have nothing to fear:

"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
-Romans 8: 31b

Q: What happens to you when you go without regular rhythms that allow you to rest in God?
A: When I miss a Sunday or a Wednesday or any other service, I feel that I have missed an opportunity to gather with God's people and worship Him. It's like going without a meal: I'm left hungry and thirsty for God's Word. If I don't go to church or spend time privately in God's Word, my whole week is thrown off. My life is not my own, and when I try to live it by myself, I feel incomplete. God has made us to live in constant communion with Him. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the pain of the physical punishment wasn't what hurt him the most -- it was the immense separation from God that he was taking on for all people in that moment. He cried, "Father, father, why have you forsaken me?" Being away from God, even for a moment, was the most painful form of suffering that he experienced. I try not to miss any opportunity to gather with God's people, because when I do, I just don't feel complete.

Gratitude

Today's focus was on gratitude. The most profound thing that I discovered in the devotional today was that gratitude does not come from receiving blessings. Blessings may lead us into gratitude but true gratitude comes from knowing who God is and delighting in his love and character. A thankful heart is the result of always knowing that God is worthy of praise -- no matter what your circumstances are.

Most people would admit that they've had "good days" and "bad days," but is that right? The rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. Should we accept good things from God and not bad? The difference between a "good day" and a "bad day" is our perception. If we view everything in our life as bad or focus on just the negative things that happen to us, then we will live a hopeless life. But that is not the way it should be! Focus on all of the great things that are happening in the midst of the bad.

Do you remember when Elijah thought that he was the only one who still served God? "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me." But God knew more than Elijah did. "Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

We may find ourselves in a seemingly hopeless situation, but God knows more than we do! Amen. Be glad in the lord. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say it: rejoice!" Thank God for who he is today. Thank Him for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Who is greater than our God or more worthy of our thanks and praise?

Reflection Questions

Q: When you feel at the bottom of the food chain and dead last in terms of priority, how do you move toward gratitude?
A: I realize who I am and where my place is. It is entirely within God's fair choice to humble me through whatever means that He would choose. I am not the center of the universe and sometimes I forget that. But when I realize how small and insignificant I am, I am broken. It is here that God can speak to me and teach me His ways -- instead of my own or the ways of the world. When my focus is not on who I am in this world, I see who I am in Him -- a child of God, a brother of Christ, an heir to heaven. "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." God, use me, humble me, keep me in need of you and let me not trust in my own strength or understanding, but lead me in your ways. Amen

Q: How does your disposition influence your attitude toward gratitude?
A: When my focus is not on who I am in this world, I see who I am in Him -- a child of God, a brother of Christ, an heir to heaven. Then I have a lot to be thankful for. "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." It is amazing that God has invited us to call upon Him. He is not distant. How can we not be thankful for Him and all that He is?

This is my prayer: God, use me, humble me, keep me in need of you and let me not trust in my own strength or understanding, but lead me in your ways. Amen

Celebration

Today's spiritual discipline was Celebration. The focus of the devotional was on the different ways that we could celebrate God as a form of worship. Most typically, people worship corporately with a tithe of their time and money and singing of praises to God. I find that although worship through song is enjoyable and very good, it seems to be used as a shallow substitute for worshiping God with our lives. Daily devotions are a form of celebratory worship. We meditate on God's word -- which shows its value in our lives -- and we praise God for who He is, which is evident throughout the scripture. We worship by allowing His Word to change our lives, to make us see things differently than the world and to make different choices and participate in different forms of entertainment than the world. If the celebration of who God is and what He has done in our lives does not prompt us to worship Him with every aspect of our lives, then we do not truly understand how completely awesome He is. As it says in James, he who looks intently into the word of God and does not do what it says is like a man who looks in the mirror, and going away completely forgets what he looks like. The celebration of who God is should also be a celebration of who we are in Him, because our lives should reflect God's character and His love.

Reflection Questions

Q: How is your celebration enhanced or curtailed by your ability to remember the past, live in the moment or anticipate the future?
A: My celebration is definitely enhanced by all three of those kinds of thoughts. Remembering the past proves to me that God is a loving God worthy of being praised and that he has a plan for my life. Living in the moment allows me to forget my past mistakes and my inability to control the future and focus on making the conscious decision to live in the center of God's will right now. Anticipating the future excites me because I know that God has a plan for my life and I can't even begin to imagine the amazing things that he wants to do through me as well as how much I will grow closer to Him.

Q: When you see others celebrating God in a way that is new or foreign to you, what goes on in your mind and heart?
A: I am revitalized. It is awesome when people celebrate in different ways because it shows that there is not just one way to worship. It delights me to know that there is no end to God's love, and neither should there be an end to the yearning to seek new ways to praise Him.