Day 27: Self Denial

The idea is in the name, denying yourself for the sake of others or self. We abstain for all kinds of reasons. We abstain from certain foods for health. Certain purchases or spending habits for wealth. Or watching too much tv to avoid laziness.

However, when Jesus tells us to deny ourselves and take up our cross it doesn’t necessarily mean these things specifically. He means to deny ourselves the things that get between us and Him. Things that don’t fulfill the plan and purpose He has for you.

Lent is the perfect example of self denial. The time of year we deny ourselves a creature comfort or frivolous thing to replace it with something spiritually edifying. Lent is a great exercise that we should practice in some form daily, even after Easter.

My prayer today is to identify the things hindering my relationship with Jesus and for the strength to lay them down.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 26: Prayer

You’ve had a hard day. You come home and sit down for dinner. Grace is said and the meal begins. The common question comes out, “how was your day?” This simple dinner conversation automatically invites others into your life as well as entering into their life.

This is what prayer is, an invitation. We invite God unto our lives. The good, the bad and the ugly. He wants to know it all. In return, we are invited to a life with Him. Where he guides us, loves us and comforts us.

One of the hardest habits to form as a Christian is prayer. There are so many excuses not to pray. From work, family, hobbies or any life event. But in light of Jesus wanting to be our brother, why wouldn’t we want to share these events with Him?

My prayer to day is to be more diligent about praying.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 25: Know the One You Love

I’ve been happily married for 16 years. I love my wife more now than I did when we first got married. This seems cliche, and it is, but why is it true? Because we continue to get to know each other.

This means we hear repeats of the same story. Bicker over the same issues. Make up over the same arguments, but all these things renew our understanding of each other. How often do we do that with Jesus?

The gospels are key to renewing our understanding of Him. Even though we may have read them many times before, they are still the best way to find out who Jesus is to us. Reading them daily will always reinforce or bring about a better understanding so we can love Him more.

My prayer is to read the gospels daily and grow closer to Jesus.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 24: the Metric System

Everything has a benchmark. We gauge everything by a certain metric or standard. From the food we eat, the clothes we wear or the car we drive, there is something we use to measure to decide if we buy these things.

We also have a social standard for behavior. Not too loud in public. Be patient and don’t lose your temper. Be kind and use your manners. When someone doesn’t measure up we are quick to judge them either mentally or verbally. When confronted with our own out of bounds behavior, often times we are quick to point out that we aren’t as bad as this other person.

In the gospels there is a valuable lesson in a short retelling by Jesus of the Pharisee and the tax collector. He used this to illustrate that our spiritual and social metric isn’t others, it’s Him. In order to meet this metric we need to close that gap between where we are now and where he wants us to be. Are you ready to measure up to Jesus?

My prayer is that I stop measuring myself by others and focus on the true standard, Jesus.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 22&23: Adjustment Bureau

Reading Scripture is hard.  I know we try to minimize it and say its not that bad.  When the reality is that most christians have a hard time constantly reading the Scripture.  We make excuses and rationalize this dereliction of duty because we are afraid to face the reality of the situation.

Scripture reveals to us the heart of God.  It shows us who He is and it’s transformative. Like getting to know that one friend that will change your life forever.  While the outcome is always positive the process is nerve racking and scary.  This is why we put off reading Scripture.  We know that it will be more than an adjustment.  It will be a total transformation.

Jesus transformed everyone he came into contact with in the gospels.   The woman at the well, Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, the apostles, etc.  When faced with the reality of who Jesus was there is nothing else to do but change.

My prayer today is for help to stay consistent with reading Scripture and to be open for transformation.

Peace and God Bless.

 

Day 20: No Greater Love

No parent questions why they love their child. They just do. They can and will sacrifice everything for that child regardless of what they do. They fight for them, provide for them and run themselves into the ground just so they have the best of everything. Why?  There is only one answer, because they are mine.

Honestly, I didn’t grasp this until I became a father.  I love my kids from the minute I knew they existed.  It changed the way I lived, worked, interacted and made decisions.  Everything in my life now revolves around my kids for no other reason than I love them because they are mine.

This love is the love that Jesus showed us.  The love that performed the miracles, changed people’s lives and brought Him to the cross. This same love is the love that we need to have for everyone.  Scripture tells us that there is no greater love than to lay your life down for your friends.  Are we laying our lives down for our friends?

My prayer today is to love more like Jesus loves me.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 19: Answering Prayers

A cup of coffee, a few dollar tip, listening, lending a hand or simply being there in a time of need.  These are all miracles.  I am not talking about turning water into wine or healing the lame or even casting out demons.  Those are miracles too, but somehow they eclipse the everyday miracles.  When I say miracle, I am talking about an answer to prayer.

If we were to listen in on most prayers they are simple.  I need money, I need help, I need comfort, I need someone to listen or I need food.  The one thing they all have in common is that it doesn’t take a biblical miracle to answer those prayers.  It doesn’t take a super religious disciple to make these things happen.  It just takes someone willing to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit to be the miracle for someone else.  Sometime the simplest acts of kindness are the biggest answers to prayers.

My prayer today is to be open to the Holy Spirit and to help be an answer to prayers.

Peace and God Bless.

 

Day 18: Louder Than Words

Actions always speak louder than words.  What we say can ultimately be trumped by what we do.  Even with the best language and the kindest intentions words still fall short of actions.

How we spend our time, money and energy tells others our interests. It tells them what we value most or who we value most. What is really most important is what Jesus tells us is most important. People.

Jesus always valued people above things. He taught His disciples to do likewise. Not only did He tell them, He showed them. Through His life, ministry, miracles and ultimately His death. Jesus valued others above Himself through His actions. If someone were to view your finances and daily planner, who or what would they find as most important to you?

My prayer is for help to get my actions in line with my words.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 17: The Fringe

You get your tray and head to the cafeteria.  You quickly scan the room.  There are the jocks but you are not playing sports.  You see the band but you don’t play an instrument.  The goths are at the corner table in the back but you don’t hate life enough.  Where you sit is imperative because it lets everyone else know who you are.

While this is the experience of a lot of school children and teenagers it really isn’t as important as we think.  The people we eat a meal with doesn’t define us.  Jesus showed us this in the gospels.  He ate with the fringe of society all the time.  He brought showed us that it doesn’t matter and that we are all His children.

He also had a core group of guys that were on the fringe.  Fishermen, tax collectors and zealots.  He had a way to relate to and bring all those people together.  How many times do we reject an invitation of conversation or friendship based on social status?  Does it really matter?

My prayer today is to be more open to everyone.

Peace and God Bless.

Day 16: Judge Not

The other day I overheard my younger daughters playing. They were playing house and I heard the older one chastising the other. The funny part was she sounded just like her mom. She was judging her sisters behavior and trying to be the mom. That’s when I heard my wife explain that she isn’t the mom and can’t dole out punishment.

Jesus gives a strong warning in the gospel about judging because we are children. Like any other child we want to emulate our parents. Our Father judges His children and hands down judgement. In our attempt to be like Him we overstep our role and run the risk of being judged as harshly as we judge others.

Often we forget this role and try to be our Father. It is not our place to judge anyone. It is our job to be obedient and love one another. Also, to act within our conscience.

My prayer is for help to judge less and keep in mind we are all children of God.

Peace and God Bless.