Are you one of God's special agents? Two influences have recently directed my thoughts towards this area. First of all, I want to make it clear that this discussion is not based on a theological fact, just my own mind delving into areas of interest to ponder. I have never seen the term "special agents" in my Bible! But I would love to help stimulate your thought process and welcome you to ponder along with me.
First of all, as I was watching a television show the other night about special agents, it suddenly occurred to me that God may have His own special agents!
When I was a teen-ager, my secret aspiration was to become a spy. I even mentioned that in a yearbook article that was written about me. OK, so it lost it's "secret" status. But why such a strange ambition, you may ask? Probably the idea of a mysterious life full of thrills and adventure enticed me at the time. My life was good, but rather "set" in the ordinary realm. As true with many young people, I craved excitement! And no, in case you are wondering, I never did get into that field. But would I tell you if I did?!? :o)
Secondly, in my Bible these past days, I have been reading about the life of Job, the righteous man who lost all his children, livestock and health at the hand of Satan, but remained faithful to God through it all. And, at the end of the book, God rewarded Job's faithfulness by giving him more than he had before the tragic circumstances happened to him!
But of course, Job was not a spy, or even a government employee, so what on earth could he have in common with a special agent?
Let's consider the likely job description of a special agent. Here are some ideas I came up with:
1. Being called upon for a specific, challenging task. Only the best men and women are even considered for this type of devoted work!
2. Going way beyond the normal "call of duty," often working behind the scenes with little or no public recognition.
3. Living a focused and prioritized life, giving one's whole all . . . mind, body and soul . . . for a noble cause.
You may have more to add. Anyway, keeping all these characteristics in mind, which children of God do you think would qualify for the position as a special agent of God?
Some whom I personally would vote for include:
1. Someone who is living with constant pain or suffering from a debilitating or terminal disease.
2. A child of God chosen for a specific purpose away from the spotlight in an unobtrusive place, such as caring for a vulnerable person (ex: the elderly, small children, or one who is mentally or physically challenged). Their work is highly regarded by God as important, caring for the "least of these."
2. Someone who is mentally or physically challenged, facing misunderstandings and rejection from others who don't know how to relate to them.
Can you think of others? Maybe even yourself!
Next, let's consider how could these situations possibly fit into the category of being a special agent of God's. When sin came into the perfect world God made through Adam and Eve's choices, it became a constant source of trouble for everyone born after them. God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for sin on the cross, and everyone who choses now to surrender to God and accept Jesus' sacrifice for them will have God's free gift of eternal life. In the meantime, while we co-exist with evil on earth, God is quite capable of using the evil for His good purposes, one of the greatest being to share this Good News and bring multitudes of people to heaven.
God sometimes "calls" an individual for a specific, challenging "task" that will stretch them way beyond the normal existence. These chosen "special agents" face a lifetime of questions, often setting aside their own dreams and personal expectations so God can use them in ways that only He sees as purposeful in this world. The truth is that a child of God who is assigned this type of confusing and uncertain place is given a high trust from his or her heavenly Father. And that trust is, as Job experienced, to accept the situation without losing faith in their loving heavenly Father. God expects them to trust His goodness to use them in a very special and powerful way even though they don't understand what He is doing at the time.
If you as a Christian find yourself existing in this type of cloudy circumstance, you can be assured that God has chosen you for a special honor. He knows that when we are faced with a difficult situation and do not turn away from God, we become a tremendous influence, an example to show others that God alone is enough . . . that He alone can make life worth living. Others who see our God-given peace through hardships may be convinced to accept God's free gift of eternal life through observing our patience and hope in the midst of trials. Some of us are also selected for a one-time "special assignment" before returning to a life of normalcy. The trust we hold in these temporary situations is also of critical importance.
I know it does not seem like an honor when the days are dismal, painful or full of turmoil . . . when the light at the end of the tunnel is not only unseen, but extinguished. But the fact is existence on this earth is only temporary. The "real" forever life is yet to come, when God "shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
When all we have is the hand of God to hold, that is enough. His grace will enable us to carry and protect the large trust He has placed in our hands. And when we get to heaven, we will see with clear sight how God has used our trials in this world to work miracles for eternity!
I confess, at this time in my life, with more experiences behind me than I posessed as an idealistic teen-ager, I have no desire to become of of these "special agents." I can only pray for God's grace to handle whatever comes my way with a child-like trust in His love and goodness.
My novel, The Rose Journal, addresses in an imaginative story the questions and possible outcomes through one woman's life when she is given an opportunity to accept a trust from God with no guarantees of a positive outcome. If you are interested, you can go to my website, www.rosejournal.com to check it out.
NEXT WEEK, I PLAN TO START A NEW SERIES ON FINDING MY WAY THROUGH ROADBLOCKS IN THE LAND OF ABUNDANT LIVING. I'D BE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU JOIN ME!
Showing posts with label devotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotions. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
KEY #A14: ENTHUSIASM AND EXCITEMENT
Congratulations go to Kyle Dimler from Willmar, Minnesota, for winning the contest for this series! He correctly guessed the phrase, "I LIVE BY THE GOLDEN RULE." Remember learning it as a child? Or later on? "Do unto others as you want them to do unto you." Matthew 7:12 A wonderful guideline for success in relationships, which seems to be a hot topic today! Kyle will receive two free books: my novel, The Rose Journal, and its companion Bible study, The View From Eternity. Six more weeks until the next series begins!
This is the first week of the Year of our Lord, 2012. And with the whole new year ahead of us (unless Jesus comes back for us before it is over), it seems appropriate to hold the Key for Enthusiasm/Excitement in my hands as I approach a brand new, shiny, silver door displaying a glittery calendar posted on the front. The first page, January 1, is waving in the wind as though personally anticipating the excitement the new year will bring. I open the door and find myself in the midst of the most fabulous party scene I could imagine, full of enthusiastic people . . . Vital people adorned in Vibrantly colored costumes exploring Various aVenues of creatiVe endeaVors (maybe I should have chosen "V" for this blog! I like to play with words :)
Oooh, how fun! I love parties! In fact, I have planned and helped to plan a ton of parties through the years, including a "This Is Your Life" for one of my dad's special birthdays (maybe his 80th?), my daughter, E's, first slumber party where we played a game (my foolish idea) with a blindfold and chocolate pudding. I ended up washing nine little girl's blouses and one head of hair. One of the girls asked me if I knew where the bathroom was (in my own house)! Yours truly also had the bright idea of putting my husband's extremely realistic gorilla mask on his sister, B, who does the world's best vocal gorilla impression, and invite each girl in to meet the "wild animal" in person. Plenty of deliciously frightful screams. Girls actually make more noise at a party than boys do, if you can believe that!
Years earlier, at E's second birthday party, one of her little friends (a boy) picked up our dog's dish and passed it around to half of the children before I caught him. (Not my idea this time!) All the guests survived.
Growing up in the country, I planned the games for our annual Christmas parties with the neighbors. Everybody, young and old, participated in our silly games. What a super-fun way to bridge the generation gap! I do like to laugh . . . and to see others laughing and having a good time! Don't you suppose it warms God's heart to see me laughing and enjoying a good time? And seeing you, too?
Getting back to the party going on the the Enthusiasm/Excitement Room of 2012 . . . Here I am surrounded, not only by a host of enthusiastic people to meet and get to know, but also tons of objects and activities, books and other media resources . . . more than I could even begin to explore in many years to come. So I have lots of decisions to make as I consider my goals for the coming year. Fasciated as I am with the vast assortment of choices, the most exciting thing is the presence of God's Holy Spirit hovering near and directing each person's attention and efforts. Does God have something special already chosen for me to do for Him in 2012? And for you? I know whatever He has in His plan for us will be infinitely rewarding and fulfilling! "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:19
However, at this time, I am feeling sort of overwhelmed by all my plans for January, not to mention the whole year! And I need God's gift of enthusiasm right now . . . today! So I took out my faithful 1953 first copyrighted Webster's dictionary to see exactly what I am asking for and was surprised to discover the following definition for "enthusiasm": "orig. (origin, originally), supernatural inspiration or possession." Imagine that!?! I guess I'm going to the right source to receive the gift of enthusiasm! It also says "intense or eager interest; zeal." So when I ask for enthusiasm, I am asking God to give me His "supernatural inspiration" along with "intense and eager interest, zeal" for whatever work He has chosen for me to do in the coming year. And do you know, I think He's already answering my prayer? Once again, I remind myself that I have chosen to submit to His plans and trust Him to give me the time and energy to tackle His assigned projects with a great measure of enthusiasm, "working unto the Lord."
Back again to exciting parties: Let's consider the biggest party of them all! In December, I just finished reading through the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, during my daily "devotion" time (Remember last week's blog on "devotion?") What an exciting book! So many people avoid reading the fascinating book of Revelation because it is complicated and hard to understand, but this is the revelation given by Jesus Christ about our eternal future. What could be more important? Our greatest Hope is contained and set forth in this book! Knowing that Jesus is always with me and has planned a special place for me in His perfect and glorious Kingdom is what keeps me going in this world contaminated with sin and suffering. In fact if we ignore the last book of the Bible, we miss the end of the story . . . God's Story . . . that He has been recording for His people from before Time began! Why would I read all the chapters of my favorite mystery novel and skip the last chapter? I wouldn't! So why would I read all about God's story and skip the last chapter?
We are even promised a special blessing if we read the book of Revelation. "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it . . . " Revelation 1:3a
Yes, Revelation does talk about the horrible, indescribable eternal future waiting for those who reject Jesus Christ's love and that, admittedly, is hard to read when I think of loved ones who are journeying on the Dead End Road instead of the Road of Abundant Life. But it also begins to share a glimpse of the state of total joy and excitement that awaits God's children, those who have received His gift of salvation and follow Him along the road to Heaven.
Especially exciting are the last chapters where we read about the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, where believers become the Bride of Jesus Christ. God is planning this party to reward His children for their faithfulness and to shower His unending supply of bountiful gifts upon them. What a celebration that will be! What a glorious party planned by the Creator of all things!
I'll look for you there and save a seat! :)
This is the first week of the Year of our Lord, 2012. And with the whole new year ahead of us (unless Jesus comes back for us before it is over), it seems appropriate to hold the Key for Enthusiasm/Excitement in my hands as I approach a brand new, shiny, silver door displaying a glittery calendar posted on the front. The first page, January 1, is waving in the wind as though personally anticipating the excitement the new year will bring. I open the door and find myself in the midst of the most fabulous party scene I could imagine, full of enthusiastic people . . . Vital people adorned in Vibrantly colored costumes exploring Various aVenues of creatiVe endeaVors (maybe I should have chosen "V" for this blog! I like to play with words :)
Oooh, how fun! I love parties! In fact, I have planned and helped to plan a ton of parties through the years, including a "This Is Your Life" for one of my dad's special birthdays (maybe his 80th?), my daughter, E's, first slumber party where we played a game (my foolish idea) with a blindfold and chocolate pudding. I ended up washing nine little girl's blouses and one head of hair. One of the girls asked me if I knew where the bathroom was (in my own house)! Yours truly also had the bright idea of putting my husband's extremely realistic gorilla mask on his sister, B, who does the world's best vocal gorilla impression, and invite each girl in to meet the "wild animal" in person. Plenty of deliciously frightful screams. Girls actually make more noise at a party than boys do, if you can believe that!
Years earlier, at E's second birthday party, one of her little friends (a boy) picked up our dog's dish and passed it around to half of the children before I caught him. (Not my idea this time!) All the guests survived.
Growing up in the country, I planned the games for our annual Christmas parties with the neighbors. Everybody, young and old, participated in our silly games. What a super-fun way to bridge the generation gap! I do like to laugh . . . and to see others laughing and having a good time! Don't you suppose it warms God's heart to see me laughing and enjoying a good time? And seeing you, too?
Getting back to the party going on the the Enthusiasm/Excitement Room of 2012 . . . Here I am surrounded, not only by a host of enthusiastic people to meet and get to know, but also tons of objects and activities, books and other media resources . . . more than I could even begin to explore in many years to come. So I have lots of decisions to make as I consider my goals for the coming year. Fasciated as I am with the vast assortment of choices, the most exciting thing is the presence of God's Holy Spirit hovering near and directing each person's attention and efforts. Does God have something special already chosen for me to do for Him in 2012? And for you? I know whatever He has in His plan for us will be infinitely rewarding and fulfilling! "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:19
However, at this time, I am feeling sort of overwhelmed by all my plans for January, not to mention the whole year! And I need God's gift of enthusiasm right now . . . today! So I took out my faithful 1953 first copyrighted Webster's dictionary to see exactly what I am asking for and was surprised to discover the following definition for "enthusiasm": "orig. (origin, originally), supernatural inspiration or possession." Imagine that!?! I guess I'm going to the right source to receive the gift of enthusiasm! It also says "intense or eager interest; zeal." So when I ask for enthusiasm, I am asking God to give me His "supernatural inspiration" along with "intense and eager interest, zeal" for whatever work He has chosen for me to do in the coming year. And do you know, I think He's already answering my prayer? Once again, I remind myself that I have chosen to submit to His plans and trust Him to give me the time and energy to tackle His assigned projects with a great measure of enthusiasm, "working unto the Lord."
Back again to exciting parties: Let's consider the biggest party of them all! In December, I just finished reading through the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, during my daily "devotion" time (Remember last week's blog on "devotion?") What an exciting book! So many people avoid reading the fascinating book of Revelation because it is complicated and hard to understand, but this is the revelation given by Jesus Christ about our eternal future. What could be more important? Our greatest Hope is contained and set forth in this book! Knowing that Jesus is always with me and has planned a special place for me in His perfect and glorious Kingdom is what keeps me going in this world contaminated with sin and suffering. In fact if we ignore the last book of the Bible, we miss the end of the story . . . God's Story . . . that He has been recording for His people from before Time began! Why would I read all the chapters of my favorite mystery novel and skip the last chapter? I wouldn't! So why would I read all about God's story and skip the last chapter?
We are even promised a special blessing if we read the book of Revelation. "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it . . . " Revelation 1:3a
Yes, Revelation does talk about the horrible, indescribable eternal future waiting for those who reject Jesus Christ's love and that, admittedly, is hard to read when I think of loved ones who are journeying on the Dead End Road instead of the Road of Abundant Life. But it also begins to share a glimpse of the state of total joy and excitement that awaits God's children, those who have received His gift of salvation and follow Him along the road to Heaven.
Especially exciting are the last chapters where we read about the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, where believers become the Bride of Jesus Christ. God is planning this party to reward His children for their faithfulness and to shower His unending supply of bountiful gifts upon them. What a celebration that will be! What a glorious party planned by the Creator of all things!
I'll look for you there and save a seat! :)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
KEY #A13: "D" DEVOTION
Anyone ready to venture a guess for the contest and win two free books? My novel, The Rose Journal and its coordinating Bible study, The View From Eternity. So far we have ILIVEBYTHEGOL.... and today you get a great big hint! Just 7 letters to go including the one for this week, which is D, so that leaves only 6! Only immediate family are not able to participate! Each person gets one guess, and does not qualify to win more than one time in each series. We start a new series mid-February.
I hope you had a fabulous Christmas, celebrating the birth of our precious Savior!
Today my mind is focused on the future, the Year of our Lord, 2012. And the best way for me to start the New Year right is to determine to spend quality time each day with my Lord!
Today I open the door to the Devotion Key room. (Did anyone notice that I didn't enter a door last week? The "Light" door? Maybe it is because the light would have been far too strong for me to handle this side of Eternity. Or maybe it is because I wrote the blog the week before Christmas when my brain was stuffed with holiday preparations and the concept of the Key slipped out??? I'll make up for it today! This Devotion Door is nothing fancy, simple sturdy wood with beautiful, artistic grain designs. I open it, expecting to see the grandeur of a garden, ocean or mountain setting, perfect for a quiet time to share with my Lord. But no . . . it is instead filled with people going about their routines of daily life. My hopes for an ideal place for Bible reading and prayer are dashed.
So what am I expected to learn here? Yes, it is coming. Bits and pieces of insights are poking through my tired, semi-muddled mind. Of course! If I was not engaged in the midst of active humanity, what would I find to pray about? Yes, I understand the importance of following Jesus' example of regularly leaving the multitudes to be alone with God. But I must also learn to cope with the interruptions of daily living and recognize those situations as topics I need to talk about with God.
So while I search for that private place . . . which may be over in that corner where I catch a glimpse of fresh air and greenery . . . I will mingle with the crowds, listening for their prayer needs and knowing for a certainty that God is as near to me in a crowd as when I come to Him alone for my "Devotions."
Please notice that the key word"Devotion" for today's blog, is singular, not pluralized. That is because the word "devotions" symbolizes to many of us a duty to preform, not a joy to discover.
Once Jesus becomes the object of my "devotion," my devotions are no longer a duty but a desire.
I checked my old faithful dictionary, copyrighted 1970 (which doesn't seem that old to me!) for the meaning of the singular word "devotion." Here is what I found:
Definition for "devotion": piety, religious worship, prayers, loyalty or deep affection. . . or the state of being devoted."
Let's concentrate on that meaning "loyalty or deep affection." You see, it helps me personally to realize that my Devotions (devotional time with God) springs from my Devotion to Him as my loving Father. Then daily devotions become not a duty, but an opportunity to express my "loyalty and deep affection" to Him! And I want to do that so much, because I earnestly want to be loyal to God because I do love Him, even though my love falls far short of His love for me. Besides that, when any issue or concern enters my mind, my first inclination is to talk it over with Him and ask for His wisdom and peace about the matter. However, I struggle, as I assume many of you do, with setting aside quality time each day to spend alone with God. It seems like at my age, I should have "it all together" but that doesn't appear to be happening!
Here are some ways that have been helpful to me for my own daily devotions, and might be to you, too. I'd be happy to hear suggestions you might have also!
1. Bible before breakfast . . . my husband told me this was a policy at his Bible school. Sometimes I read the Bible before breakfast, but often I read it with my breakfast and my first cup of tea.
2. Accountability . . . A close friend and I have the same chronological Bible (which she gave me :)) that takes us through the whole Bible in a year. We have committed to reading it through every year for the rest of our lives. And sometimes we'll share thoughts and insights with each other, since obviously, we are "on the same page."
3. Keep Bibles in many rooms of the house. . . (Aren't we fortunate here in the United States to be able to own several of these precious books written by God?) Then, if we are caring for children, we can grab a Bible and read some at those unexpected times when they are playing quietly. (I think I remember reading this suggestion by Ruth Graham, and I want to give proper credit! Hope I'm right about that . . . )
3. Pray before getting out of bed in the morning. . . I always make a point to pray at least for my immediate family as soon as I wake up, unless my husband yells "fire" or something of that nature. That tunes my heart and mind to God immediately and gives me the satisfaction to know that my husband, children and grandchildren have prayers "covering" them at the start of their day. I know some of them awake before me, but I assume that my bedtime prayers "held" them until I awoke. :) Or my prayers for them during the night. . . and of course, it is God that "holds" them; my prayers are just a tool He choses to use for His purposes.
4. Have a prayer list or prayer journal . . . Sometimes I pray for others while still in bed, but my schedule is different each day. And if I refer to my prayer book, I know I won't forget to pray for specific people. (I think I'll "devote" a blog to prayer at some point. Too much to even begin to cover in this blog. More than I could ever begin to cover in my lifetime, actually! And, of course, many who are much wiser than me have devoted books to the topic; their books are helpful for me to read.) Some days, I use my prayer book right away in the morning; other days I find some time later during the day to kneel at my bedside; sometimes I pray while I drive (with my eyes wide open :)).
5. Talk to God all day long. . . The Bible says to "pray without ceasing." Even if I am not forming words, I can be aware that God is with me at all times and hears my fervent prayers and understands my quiet appreciation of His companionship. And of course, He's right there to prompt me whenever I need to confess a sinful thought. Wish I didn't have those . . . when I get to heaven, I won't. What a relief that will be!
The main thing is to remember that our Devotional time with God needs to come from our genuine desire to show Him our loyalty and love. And that I is what I want to do all day long!
I hope you had a fabulous Christmas, celebrating the birth of our precious Savior!
Today my mind is focused on the future, the Year of our Lord, 2012. And the best way for me to start the New Year right is to determine to spend quality time each day with my Lord!
Today I open the door to the Devotion Key room. (Did anyone notice that I didn't enter a door last week? The "Light" door? Maybe it is because the light would have been far too strong for me to handle this side of Eternity. Or maybe it is because I wrote the blog the week before Christmas when my brain was stuffed with holiday preparations and the concept of the Key slipped out??? I'll make up for it today! This Devotion Door is nothing fancy, simple sturdy wood with beautiful, artistic grain designs. I open it, expecting to see the grandeur of a garden, ocean or mountain setting, perfect for a quiet time to share with my Lord. But no . . . it is instead filled with people going about their routines of daily life. My hopes for an ideal place for Bible reading and prayer are dashed.
So what am I expected to learn here? Yes, it is coming. Bits and pieces of insights are poking through my tired, semi-muddled mind. Of course! If I was not engaged in the midst of active humanity, what would I find to pray about? Yes, I understand the importance of following Jesus' example of regularly leaving the multitudes to be alone with God. But I must also learn to cope with the interruptions of daily living and recognize those situations as topics I need to talk about with God.
So while I search for that private place . . . which may be over in that corner where I catch a glimpse of fresh air and greenery . . . I will mingle with the crowds, listening for their prayer needs and knowing for a certainty that God is as near to me in a crowd as when I come to Him alone for my "Devotions."
Please notice that the key word"Devotion" for today's blog, is singular, not pluralized. That is because the word "devotions" symbolizes to many of us a duty to preform, not a joy to discover.
Once Jesus becomes the object of my "devotion," my devotions are no longer a duty but a desire.
I checked my old faithful dictionary, copyrighted 1970 (which doesn't seem that old to me!) for the meaning of the singular word "devotion." Here is what I found:
Definition for "devotion": piety, religious worship, prayers, loyalty or deep affection. . . or the state of being devoted."
Let's concentrate on that meaning "loyalty or deep affection." You see, it helps me personally to realize that my Devotions (devotional time with God) springs from my Devotion to Him as my loving Father. Then daily devotions become not a duty, but an opportunity to express my "loyalty and deep affection" to Him! And I want to do that so much, because I earnestly want to be loyal to God because I do love Him, even though my love falls far short of His love for me. Besides that, when any issue or concern enters my mind, my first inclination is to talk it over with Him and ask for His wisdom and peace about the matter. However, I struggle, as I assume many of you do, with setting aside quality time each day to spend alone with God. It seems like at my age, I should have "it all together" but that doesn't appear to be happening!
Here are some ways that have been helpful to me for my own daily devotions, and might be to you, too. I'd be happy to hear suggestions you might have also!
1. Bible before breakfast . . . my husband told me this was a policy at his Bible school. Sometimes I read the Bible before breakfast, but often I read it with my breakfast and my first cup of tea.
2. Accountability . . . A close friend and I have the same chronological Bible (which she gave me :)) that takes us through the whole Bible in a year. We have committed to reading it through every year for the rest of our lives. And sometimes we'll share thoughts and insights with each other, since obviously, we are "on the same page."
3. Keep Bibles in many rooms of the house. . . (Aren't we fortunate here in the United States to be able to own several of these precious books written by God?) Then, if we are caring for children, we can grab a Bible and read some at those unexpected times when they are playing quietly. (I think I remember reading this suggestion by Ruth Graham, and I want to give proper credit! Hope I'm right about that . . . )
3. Pray before getting out of bed in the morning. . . I always make a point to pray at least for my immediate family as soon as I wake up, unless my husband yells "fire" or something of that nature. That tunes my heart and mind to God immediately and gives me the satisfaction to know that my husband, children and grandchildren have prayers "covering" them at the start of their day. I know some of them awake before me, but I assume that my bedtime prayers "held" them until I awoke. :) Or my prayers for them during the night. . . and of course, it is God that "holds" them; my prayers are just a tool He choses to use for His purposes.
4. Have a prayer list or prayer journal . . . Sometimes I pray for others while still in bed, but my schedule is different each day. And if I refer to my prayer book, I know I won't forget to pray for specific people. (I think I'll "devote" a blog to prayer at some point. Too much to even begin to cover in this blog. More than I could ever begin to cover in my lifetime, actually! And, of course, many who are much wiser than me have devoted books to the topic; their books are helpful for me to read.) Some days, I use my prayer book right away in the morning; other days I find some time later during the day to kneel at my bedside; sometimes I pray while I drive (with my eyes wide open :)).
5. Talk to God all day long. . . The Bible says to "pray without ceasing." Even if I am not forming words, I can be aware that God is with me at all times and hears my fervent prayers and understands my quiet appreciation of His companionship. And of course, He's right there to prompt me whenever I need to confess a sinful thought. Wish I didn't have those . . . when I get to heaven, I won't. What a relief that will be!
The main thing is to remember that our Devotional time with God needs to come from our genuine desire to show Him our loyalty and love. And that I is what I want to do all day long!
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