- Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19
- Psalms 86: 5-6, 9-10, 15-16
- Romans 8: 26-27
- Matthew 13: 24-43
- Jesus I presume?
- More has been written about Jesus and His ministry on this earth than probably any other single topic. Yet it is quite possible to read all of that, and still not have a relationship with Jesus.
- What is your relationship with Jesus founded on?
- What has Jesus done for you that commands your loyalty?
- Where have you seen the hands, the feet of Jesus in your life?
- Based on that, how would you describe Him to someone who has never met Him?
- Strength in yielding
- Most of us have burdens to bear, struggles that threaten to overwhelm, weariness that longs for relief, even if for just a small span of time. Often, when in such circumstances, we can be tempted to find relief in giving up.
- What does the phrase "let go and let God" summon from you?
- What does it really mean to give something over to God?
- How has that worked for you?
- Was that the first thing that came to your mind when you were confronted with challenges that you felt were beyond you?
- Why?
- Learning what to pray for
- Sometimes words fail us, and that can be a good thing.
- Have you ever gone to prayer, and not known what to pray for?
- How did you pray then, without words?
- Did words ever come to you in that circumstance?
- Does it matter?
- Size isn't everything
- Stagnation is never good. In fact, God calls us to continuous growth in depth in our lives, and our relationship to Him. But that growth is hard to measure sometimes.
- Looking to the years ahead, how would you like to see one or more of the ministries that you are involved in growing?
- How did you come to desire that?
- What are you doing to make that happen?
- Are you sure that God's not going to change direction along the way?
- Preparation for Reconciliation
- Do I spend time to consider God's work in my life?
- Where is God calling me to give over to Him?
- Where is God calling me to silence in my prayer?
- Where might God be calling me to greater depth in your relationship with Him?
Color me Quiet
Another day is done, there's nothing more that I can do about it now.
Most of my emerging plans that were dewy and bright with the first rays of the dawn,
Are pretty much done in now. And tomorrow is likely to be about the same.
Before leaving bed in the morning, I try to give the day back to God -
From whom I received it in the first place.
Telling Him that it's His to use as He wills.
But in my heart of hearts, what I really long for -
Is a day of steady progress on all the projects that I'm trying to move.
Deeper still, I pray that God would see reason, and want what I want.
Then I could pray with more confidence, knowing -
Knowing that we were on the same page,
And that I can count on Him to do the right thing.
I am sure that God appreciates honesty.
Even if honest prayer gets rough around the edges.
Anger, frustration, longing, are all emotions that He has seen, felt, sighed through.
To be honest, I'd love to know whether any of this that's so important to me -
Amounts to anything in the grand scheme of things.
Better to find out, and move on with holy goals, dreams, desires.
Better that, than cling to the ones that I have just because they are so familiar.
I don't even think that I need to know why God's longings for me are better.
After all, what would I do differently if I did have sublime understanding?
In fact, maybe my words have served their purpose for now.
I don't need the last word, nor even the first word in prayer anymore.
Maybe what I need most, is to just gaze on Jesus.
And let His heart speak to mine in a language that we both know.
Without me setting the agenda, writing a to do list,
Or a checklist of things to cover in my prayer.
Maybe, just maybe, I won't need so much time each day -
Crowding the hours from sunrise to sunset with busyness.
And instead can learn to find Jesus in seeking Him.
Rather than seeking accomplishment.
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