1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you… 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent… 20 I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. ----John 17:1, 3,20,21,24
When I know that I will be facing difficulties, or I sense that my anxiety wants to control me, I email or call people who pray. Knowing that someone else prays for me, comforts me and allows me to let go of the anxiety and instead spend time listening for God’s voice.
Did you know that before Jesus died he prayed for you? I encourage you to read The New Testament book of John, chapter 17. The entire chapter is devoted to Jesus praying. He prays for himself, he prays for his disciples and he prays for you and me. I love the thought that Jesus himself spoke a prayer on my behalf. He loved me and prayed for me before he even knew me.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Road blocks
Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." ¬¬– Matthew 16:23
Recently, a road crew started working on the bridge that we cross to enter our town from the west. We can currently drive one direction on the bridge but not the other. When I leave town traveling west, I use the bridge –¬¬ when I return I drive around the edge of the village and enter from the south. My frustration increases as I drive out of my way to get home. And that is not all; I read a sign this week that said the ramp to the main highway near my home, which I take every day to work, will also be closed soon.
At times in my life I have felt blocked, unable to move forward. As God calls me and I try to follow, Satan hinders my way with distractions, detours and road blocks. Even Jesus told Satan to move out of his way when Peter denied Christ’s impending death. Through prayer and scripture, God shows me how to put Satan behind me and move forward on my journey of faith with him.
Recently, a road crew started working on the bridge that we cross to enter our town from the west. We can currently drive one direction on the bridge but not the other. When I leave town traveling west, I use the bridge –¬¬ when I return I drive around the edge of the village and enter from the south. My frustration increases as I drive out of my way to get home. And that is not all; I read a sign this week that said the ramp to the main highway near my home, which I take every day to work, will also be closed soon.
At times in my life I have felt blocked, unable to move forward. As God calls me and I try to follow, Satan hinders my way with distractions, detours and road blocks. Even Jesus told Satan to move out of his way when Peter denied Christ’s impending death. Through prayer and scripture, God shows me how to put Satan behind me and move forward on my journey of faith with him.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Frogs in a Storm
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven. Psalm 107:28-30
Last night Tim and I drove home in a thunderstorm. I usually enjoy the light show that comes from the storm and the tapping sounds of the rain. But, I was driving and that adds a different dimension to the trip. Being responsible for our safety as we drove, I was careful to keep my eyes on the road. As we traveled along, I spied two frogs desperately trying to hop out of the danger zone of moving vehicles and into the safety of the ditch. These frogs bore the burden of two stressful events at one time.
So often in life, I feel like the frogs, desperately trying to escape one stress while seeking shelter for another one. I shout praise that I have a God who stills the storms and guides me to a haven where his love protects me and his word calms my soul. As I face stresses in this life I want to place them in God's hands, the only true shelter.
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven. Psalm 107:28-30
Last night Tim and I drove home in a thunderstorm. I usually enjoy the light show that comes from the storm and the tapping sounds of the rain. But, I was driving and that adds a different dimension to the trip. Being responsible for our safety as we drove, I was careful to keep my eyes on the road. As we traveled along, I spied two frogs desperately trying to hop out of the danger zone of moving vehicles and into the safety of the ditch. These frogs bore the burden of two stressful events at one time.
So often in life, I feel like the frogs, desperately trying to escape one stress while seeking shelter for another one. I shout praise that I have a God who stills the storms and guides me to a haven where his love protects me and his word calms my soul. As I face stresses in this life I want to place them in God's hands, the only true shelter.
Friday, March 5, 2010
A Little Green
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 1 Thessalonians 1:3
After I carried a bag of trash outside to the garbage can, I walked back toward the house and noticed that I still had a small flag decorated with a snowflake hanging in my flower bed. I love winter, but I’ve had enough snow for the season, so I stopped to take the flag off its metal holder. As the flag slid off, I noticed green sprouts pushing up out of the hard dirt just behind the little pole. Tiny daffodil leaves stretched up to catch what sunlight they could. A sure sign of spring filled me with joy.
When the daffodil rests under the ground, the bulb gathers nourishment, so that the leaves will push up through the soil and the ruffling yellow flower can bloom. As a follower of Christ, I go through my own winter seasons. During those times, God urges me to gather strength from him through reading his Bible and talking to him. Then in the spring moments of my life when I am refreshed, my heart is prepared to reach out to others as I serve God.
Happy spring!
After I carried a bag of trash outside to the garbage can, I walked back toward the house and noticed that I still had a small flag decorated with a snowflake hanging in my flower bed. I love winter, but I’ve had enough snow for the season, so I stopped to take the flag off its metal holder. As the flag slid off, I noticed green sprouts pushing up out of the hard dirt just behind the little pole. Tiny daffodil leaves stretched up to catch what sunlight they could. A sure sign of spring filled me with joy.
When the daffodil rests under the ground, the bulb gathers nourishment, so that the leaves will push up through the soil and the ruffling yellow flower can bloom. As a follower of Christ, I go through my own winter seasons. During those times, God urges me to gather strength from him through reading his Bible and talking to him. Then in the spring moments of my life when I am refreshed, my heart is prepared to reach out to others as I serve God.
Happy spring!
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