Yep...I got sick and fell off the wagon again. It is amazing how just a couple of days out can mess up your entire schedule....Ugh. Tryin to get back on track here...
Day 25 - Today I will choose to believe that You are faithful and that you use hard times to make me more like Jesus.
Sheila Walsh prompted me to start thinking when she asked me what questions I ask God during the hard times. The fall back for me and I'm sure most of us is the infamous question of "why?" Why me? Why now? Why this? Why did it have to happen this way? Why can't You just fix it? And I'm sure we could come up with a million more 'whys.' As I stopped to think about this, I reflected on the challenge - He uses the hard times to make me more like Jesus. Maybe I'm asking the wrong question. Maybe instead of 'why' I should be asking 'how.' How can I be like Christ in this situation? (I know, I know....back to the whole WWJD thing...). After all, that, if nothing else, is what we should gain from hard situations - becoming more like Christ. Sheila notes that she is on a personal campaign to always refer to Romans 8:28-29 together, not separately. I think she makes a good point: "We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For (aka because) God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son."
Day 26 - Today I will be totally honest with You when I come to You in prayer.
Not always easy to do. But I have tried today. The one thing I got from my devotion this morning is this: Prayer must be intimate! Or the relationship isn't real... For that reason I am trying my best, no matter how humbling, to be honest when I talk with Him.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
Day 24 - Today help me to read your Word from a different perspective: I want to see your love on every page.
Sheila Walsh notes how often stories in the Bible are about the love of God - from Mary the mother of Jesus to the thieves on the cross. Today, my Scripture reading was from Matthew 27 and Mark 15 (reading chronologically). Both chapters cover the initial happenings of the crucifixion - from Jesus being taken before Pilate to Joseph of Arimethia putting Christ's body in the tomb. The love that is apparent in these chapters is unfathomable! He endured all of the abuse (verbal and physical), the torment, the humiliation...all for the sake of love. At any time He had the power to stop it all right at His fingerprints. The man wasn't even guilty and He didn't even try to defend Himself! He allowed it all, He endured it all, because of His love for us...because of His love for me!
I'm hoping I can keep this perspective when I read Scripture from now on. The Bible is the greatest love story ever. Why don't I remember that when I read it? I'm going to try to.
Sheila Walsh notes how often stories in the Bible are about the love of God - from Mary the mother of Jesus to the thieves on the cross. Today, my Scripture reading was from Matthew 27 and Mark 15 (reading chronologically). Both chapters cover the initial happenings of the crucifixion - from Jesus being taken before Pilate to Joseph of Arimethia putting Christ's body in the tomb. The love that is apparent in these chapters is unfathomable! He endured all of the abuse (verbal and physical), the torment, the humiliation...all for the sake of love. At any time He had the power to stop it all right at His fingerprints. The man wasn't even guilty and He didn't even try to defend Himself! He allowed it all, He endured it all, because of His love for us...because of His love for me!
I'm hoping I can keep this perspective when I read Scripture from now on. The Bible is the greatest love story ever. Why don't I remember that when I read it? I'm going to try to.
