Living 4 Him

God alone is wise.  He makes his wisdom available to you, but you must first want it, feel a need of it . . yes, REQUIRE it as essential in your life. Larry Lea

Do you ever feel like you are  . . .

trudging on a treadmill to nowhere?

dizzy with dozens of decisions?

floating away on a sea of frenzy?

Our lives on earth can spin completely out of control unless we take time with God to refresh us and regain perspective.  Jesus maintained a hectic schedule during his ministry on earth, yet he managed a balance that brought clarity and meaning to his work for God.

In reading the gospels, two main ideas stand out; Jesus spent time with others and Jesus spent time alone.  His time with people displayed an outward giving of himself: teaching God’s truth, healing varied ailments, supporting his disciples, navigating questions from crowds, following his Father’s path of goodness and mercy.  His time alone became an inward giving of himself to God, the One who could refuel and redirect him.  

Reading closely about the time Jesus spent alone, I caught words like solitude, away from the crowds, and all by himself indicating his desire to be stripped of all distractions, disruptions, or noise to fully focus on God’s life-giving presence.  Scripture also informs that his time was used for prayer; connecting with the power of His Father, seeking God’s holy perspective and preparing to give again. 

This personal quiet time stood out so prominently that Mark mentions it in the first chapter.  After a day of choosing apostles, driving out an impure spirit, and healing scores of people late into the evening, these words start the next day. “Very early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)   And in Luke, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray.” (Luke 5:16)  Notice the word “often.”  Jesus made his time of inward filling a regular habit.  His consistent practice of time alone meant that time with God was a vital part of his routine. Jesus lived a rhythm with God; joining God in private retreats, then walking about his earthly duties with an inner awareness of God’s hand upon him. 

We live our days knowing that God is ever-present, however, the richness and fulfillment of time set aside for God, to connect with him in meaningful ways is an essential element in our spiritual growth.  Time spent with God results in not just knowing about God, but truly knowing God. Just as delicious strawberries or blueberries need sunlight, water and the right temperatures to produce their good fruit, so do we need the right amount of outward giving and inward filling to produce the good fruit of God’s Kingdom.  Make time with God a habit you cannot live without and in return, you will sense a steady dose of his powerful, peaceful presence all day long.   

I leave with you a beautiful blessing written in the book Speak, My Soul by Marsha Crockett. http://marshacrockett.org

May your soul be free of all that is not needed.  May it be open to all that is being given.  May you walk the path that leads you home to the divine center of your truest self.  May you know the intimate presence of Jesus always walking with you as you listen to God speaking into your life.

Reaching in (allowing God’s Word to work in you): 

” . . .he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. . .” (Phillipians 1:6)  As you seek God in the days ahead, reach for him in a way that feels most comfortable and life-giving to you, opening your heart to receive the gifts God has for you and trusting the work that God is always doing in you.  

Reaching out (taking God’s Word into the world):

The Lenten Season will start next week, a meaningful time to deepen your relationship with God, to strengthen your devotion to God and to bring God into the fabric of your daily living. Be aware throughout the Lenten Season of extra opportunities to focus on the significance of Lent and share your ideas with someone else if you’d like!