coming alive

a new chapter has begun.
it's fall.  it's fall around me and it's fall in my life.

my fall will be a productive fall ...  not productive with activity, but productive in relationship.  i read a devotional online this morning, and these words impacted me in a huge way:

"His desire is to have a relationship with us - an ongoing, long-term relationship that bears lasting fruit."

i've known that all along.  it's the greatest commandment that Jesus spoke of:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'  All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

when we purposefully do the first - the second naturally follows.  my heart actually aches when i realize how so much busyness and activity have taken priority in my life in years gone by - so that the most important thing has often been made secondary.  it's a sneaky thing, really.  it's only when the season of activity subsides that you can take inventory of what's left.  

a relationship with Jesus is a marriage.  how often do marriages fall apart, ending in divorce after the children have grown up and left the home?  throughout all the years of that relationship, the priorities of husband and wife faded and took second place.  the busyness of raising kids and just life in general took over - making money, paying bills, running here and there.  time and purpose weren't spent growing that marriage.  slowly, over many years, the relationship drifted apart and became anemic.  the thing is … it just became 'the way life is' and wasn't really noticed much.  it's just how the marriage evolved.  it wasn't realized until all that activity and busyness ended and, stripped bare, what was left?

i am so thankful that, even though this season leaves a huge hole in my life, i have a marriage that is strong and loving.  it's exciting really.  i feel like we are moving into a 'honeymoon stage' that we didn't have at the beginning because, from the time we met, we had a family.  now it's just us.  and that is going to be good.  

most importantly, in my life, i want to nurture and impassion a closer relationship with Jesus.  i have more time than ever now.  it would be so easy to fill it up with activity.  i mean, i'm in a season where i can afford to do what i want to do and go where i want to go.  i love being occupied in the planning of new things.  that surely is my tendency.  

but i will not choose that.

as hard as it is to 'be still' … that i will be!

"Come, Lord Jesus.  I want to know You more than ever before." 

and in that 'knowing' this fall season will be full of a harvest of good fruit.

Breathe . . .

I spent the day in the hospital two days ago - taking one double-ventilin treatment after another to get my breathing under control.  It wasn't a critical event, but it made me think about how desperately I needed oxygen.  Air.  I struggled with only shallow breaths.  I needed the air to fill me deep in my lungs.

Take a deep, deep breath.  Can you feel the life that it is bringing to your body?  It's feeding every part of you.  A deep breath calms you, refreshes you and helps you to focus.

I am longing for Jesus in the same way I longed for that deep breath of air.  Fill me Lord.

He said to me,

"Prophesy to the breath.  Prophesy, son of man.

Tell the breath,

'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds.

Come, breath.  Breathe on these slain bodies.  Breathe life!"

[Ezekiel 37:9]

hope is my word of the day . . .

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we [I] have peace with God 

through our [my] Lord Jesus Christ, 

through whom also we [I] have access by faith into this grace in which we [I] stand, 

and rejoice in HOPE of the glory of God.

And not only that …

but we [I] also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 

and perseverance, character; and character, HOPE.

Now HOPE does not disappoint, 

because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts [my heart] 

by the Holy Spirit who was given to us [me].

Romans 5:1-5

The Word of God pierces even in the most unexpected and hard situation imaginable.  In times like this, I purpose to focus on God's mercy, compassion and faithfulness.  

My HOPE begins with a change in my focal point.  I serve the "God of hope."  

"Now may the God of HOPE fill you [me] 

with all joy and peace in believing, 

that you [I] may abound in HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."

[Romans 15:13]

My God is almighty and the author of wisdom -- He is Lord over all time and eternity.  He is my Healer and my Protector.  Nothing is impossible with Him, and IN HIM I place my trust wholeheartedly.  My faith is in the person and character of God and not in what I see around me.  

And so … HOPE rushes in.

hope

"But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have HOPE:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

His mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is Your faithfulness.

'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul,

therefore I will HOPE in Him.'

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

to the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord."

morning . . .

"Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
for in You do I trust;

cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
for I lift up my soul to You."

[Psalm 143:8]

Get the Remote … and Press PAUSE!

What amazing technology we have today!  If you want to grab a snack while watching a show, just press pause – and whatever you’re watching just stops and waits for you to be ready!

It wasn’t that long ago that my kids were my “remote.” 

“Can you please change it to channel 13?”

“Can you please lower the volume?”

Now, nothing needs to be missed!  Just press pause . . .

Wouldn’t it be awesome if there were a pause button for life?

I can just imagine all of the bad, impulsive and stupid decisions that could have been avoided – if only I’d had a pause button!

I could have pressed ‘pause’

         before I went there . . .

         before I bought this . . .

         before I did that . . .

         before I said it . . .

Today I read in the book of Luke, chapter 14 (verses 25-30) about counting the cost.  It says that I should “count the cost before building.”  Jesus was talking about counting the cost of discipleship, of following Him. 

         BECOMING a Christian is free. 

         BEING a Christian has a cost.

Jesus said to count the cost before building.

So how do I build in my life?

         I began to build when I said, “I do.”

         I continue to build in the lives of my children.

         I want to build in all of the relationships I have with people.

         I really want to build in God’s church and outside of God’s church.

And I thank God that HE is my source of strength and wisdom to do all that.  When I am so often weak, He is strong.  When I have no answers, He always does.  He never disappoints me.

Jesus also said to count the cost of battles.

So what battles do I have?

         I have the battle of daily choosing right over wrong.

         I have the battle of fighting temptation in all sorts of things.

         I have the battle of choosing to love above all else.

And again, I can thank God that He is my Overcomer!  He goes before me in all battles and conquers when I choose to do it His way.

Lord, I pray that I will learn to press “pause”

         at every crossroad in my life

         with every decision I have to make

         with every temptation that I face

         with every motive and attitude that I battle         

I give You an invitation to come to guide me and to remind me of Your ways.

Click!   Pause …

Revived . . .

“Lord Jesus – I hear You telling me that all You have destined my life to be, all that You once whispered to my heart, all that You’ve spoken to me from the pages of Your Word – even though I’ve lost it through sleep and carelessness and action – it’s all still mine.   The only thing that You require of me is to get up and start heading back to rebuild the testimony of Your glory in my life.  

And my response is, “Yes, Lord.  Lead me from this captivity.  You led a procession of people to rebuild Your temple in Jerusalem in Ezra’s time and You made it greater than the former temple.  And Jesus came to it.  

Jesus, turn my captivity.  Whatever I have embraced and settled for … I put away.  I want to be a temple where Your presence will dwell.  I believe that You will make my future testimony greater than anything of my past.  I believe that every gift of the Holy Spirit, every promise in Your Word, everything that You’ve ever promised to do in my life will come to pass.  From bankruptcy, I come Lord.  You are speaking to my heart and You are faithful.  Your love and mercies to me are never-ending.  Thank you, Lord.  I know that all You do in my life has nothing to do with me.  All I can do is stand in my own poverty and give myself wholly to You to be made rich in the imperishable things that only You can give.  Peace.  Joy.  Love.  

From this day forward – for better or  worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health – I give  myself completely to You.  May Your name be glorified in my life forevermore.”