Today was Ashlyn's first day of school. Ever.
An amazing moment.
It was awesome to take her into class. Sit with her while she did her first activity. Then watch her from behind one-way glass.
An emotional time to be sure. And, yes, we are the parents you come bearing a camera.
I'm kind of speechless about it... so I just like looking at this picture.
I was watching through the one-way glass from behind her at this moment. I won't forget it.
S. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Rescue me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name's sake, LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. - Psalm 143:8-10 (TNIV)
O. O how good it is to remember what the Lord has done! He has lifted me up. Placed my feet on solid ground. He has set hope in my heart and led me in the way of peace.
There is something about the poetic words of David's heart that can lift my spirit up from weariness, depression, and defeat. I find the the heart of David so appealing. It feels sometimes he could be a good friend. He continually speaks what is on his heart, but turns our attention to God and his goodness. Thanks Dave!
A. I want to be a friend, husband, and person of honesty and encouragement.
P. Inspire me to write poetry again Jesus. Fill me with the delight of your name and glory. Help me be a friend like Dave.
O God of such truth as sweeps away all lies,
of such grace as shrivels all excuses,
come now to find us
for we have lost our selves
in a shuffle of disguises
and the rattle of empty words.
Lord your Spirit move mercifully
to recreate us from
the chaos of our lives.
We have been careless
of our days,
our loves,
our gifts,
our chances. . . .
Our prayer is to change, O God,
not out of despair of self
but for love of you,
and for the selves we long to become
before we simply waste away.
Let your mercy move in and through us now. . . .
Amen.
- Ruth Haley Barton
S. My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place. - Jeremiah 50:6 (TNIV)
O. Why are the people lost? They have been led away from their resting place. Did the shepherds reject the goodness of a place of rest? Or, did they not know what they really needed?
A. A timely message as I have picked up Strengthening The Soul of Leadership. Do I have a resting in God? Do I lead from this place? Is the natural result of following me to find rest?
P. Jesus, I want to find rest in you. I want to lead from the love, peace, security, and hope that you offer. Not out of the insecure, rocky, fearful part of my flesh. Teach me to be dependent upon you. I struggle to be consistent with you. I am struggling in this 21 day personal revival. I will struggle to finish this new book. But I sense in both that you want to speak, teach, and lead me. Be my resting place Jesus.
S. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. - 1 John 5:11-12 (TNIV)
O. What can we bank on? God's promise. Eternal life. The world may be under the control of the Evil One, but Jesus has overcome. And through our faith he is making us overcomers.
A. I want all of Jesus today.
P. Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
S. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life. - Jeremiah 45:5 (TNIV)
O. Baruch wants to find rest and take root. Following God has worn him out. God reminds him that the world is not as it should be. There is a call to not get comfortable or invest too much in the things of this world for its all going to end (kingdoms, governments, people groups, cities, homes, farms, the very mountains and trees). God's promise is that Baruch will live and escape the end of all things. "Don't get entangled with this world!"
A. How am I entangled? How am I seeking "great things" for myself? What did Baruch want? How did he get entangled? I want more press, more security, more praise, more ease, more pleasure . . . I hear Jesus calling me to seek life. Seek the things that will last. Seek first his kingdom!
P. Jesus purify my desires. Expose what I am seeking. Help me to really live!
S. In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting before the LORD was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah. - Jeremiah 36:9 (TNIV)
O. So the people of God set aside some time to pray and fast and in the midst of this time God basically says you've all missed the point. You all have not been obeying me. You all don't even know me.
A. It's seriously troubling to me that as I begin a time of personal revival that God exposes the emptiness of religious acts. They can really be deceiving. You seem to be doing the right thing before God, but then you might be COMPLETELY missing the point. Time and time again God says in the OT that he wants people to "know that he is the LORD." I am reminded of Jeremiah 9:23-24 (TNIV): This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let those who boast boast about this: that they understand and know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
P. Jesus, help me not to trust in religious experience or discipline. Instead let me have more of you! Teach me to decrease that you may increase. Teach me what it means that I no longer live, but its you who lives in me. I don't need empty acts of devotion. I need you! I want to know you! Help me not to back away from you out of fear, but to approach your throne with boldness because of Jesus. I need the mercy and grace available there.
PS. I first read through today's reading and felt "nothing stood out." As I sat down to write about this experience I realized I had highlighted some verses. It was a blessing to go back and re-read those verses, because God wanted to speak to me through Jer. 36:9. How easily I walk away from the Word of God thinking I have not heard from the Lord. Let me encourage you with this: As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." - Hebrews 3:15 (TNIV)
S. Let the prophets who have dreams tell their dreams, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully . . . "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? . . . "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me . . . But you must not mention 'a message from the LORD' again, because everyone's own word becomes a message from God. So you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God. - Jeremiah 23:28, 29, 30, 36 (TNIV)
O. God has some harsh words for the prophets and priests. It has become their practice to marvel at each others dreams, words, and ideas. They go on repeating these dreams, words, and ideas to anyone who will listen. Clearly they had an audience. These were words the people welcomed and praised them for. God's words have a specific result; it is a fire and hammer to the stubborn hearts of people.
A. Jesus, how are my words? Am I speaking what you talk to me about? Or do I simply repeat the dreams, words, and ideas of others? It is certainly tempting to re-use the words of other pastors. They range from simple, wise, powerful, to unique. They certainly sound good and seem to be helpful. Even my own words sound pretty good from time to time. I want to speak your words and teach your Word. I hear Jesus asking me to "turn now, each of you" . . . in other words, follow through on the time of personal revival so that I would be certain where my strength, words, and actions come from.
P. Here we go Jesus. I want to make a renewed commitment to Prayer, Purity, and Purpose. Help me Jesus in my unbelief. Continue to correct and discipline me through your word.
S. Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD. - Jeremiah 15:19-20 (TNIV)
O. In Jeremiah 15:15-18 we see Jeremiah's trust, devotion, delight, and frustration with God. He longs for God's presence and work in the midst of a religious system and nation that has turned its back on God. Verse 19 is the foundation of God's prescription for Jeremiah. Personal revival.
A. I have been confronted by three ideas lately. Prayer... through the difficulty of circumstances and the movement of prayer at CBC. Purpose... a consistent reminder about avoiding Pharisaical living. In other words, to love justice, mercy, and walk humbly with God. Purity... a call to holiness. I came across www.theburningheartcontract.com last night which summarized these things into those words. It also has a possible track for a 21 day personal revival. Then I read the verses above today about personal revival. I definitely hear Jesus calling me to a new season of life with him. I am worried about not being faithful for the 21 days, and whether, if I make it, it really makes a difference. I think I am going to start next Monday.
P. Jesus, thanks for speaking so clearly through people, circumstances, your Word, and your Spirit. I hear you calling me to restoration and revival. Thank you for the example of the students meeting in D.C. for prayer and fasting. Help me see clearly the things that may cause me to trip up in the next 25 days.
S. LORD, I know that people's lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, LORD, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing. - Jeremiah 10:23-24 (TNIV)
O. Jeremiah is clear in his mind that his life is not his own. God is the expert on him and his life, so Jeremiah trusts him to direct his steps.
A. My life is not my own. It is not for me to set up my calendar. It is not for me to determine how I spend my money. It is not for me to set the agenda for a meeting. It is not for me to shape my relationships. It is for me to follow Jesus' lead!
P. Lord, no one likes discipline when going through it. But Lord I am confident that it will be good. And I want to learn how to have you direct my steps. So teach me, discipline me, and care for me.
I was encouraged to receive the first issue of the Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care, there was a lot of wisdom, freedom, and Jesus to be found. For those who want thoughtful, biblical, and well formed discussion on what it means to walk with Jesus as a disciple, I highly recommend this. The first issue alone tackles some great misconceptions, helps clarify questions about the role of spiritual disciplines, and offers some good reviews of other books that may be helpful in our growth.
Personally, I found these quotes from John Coe's article on Resisting the Temptation of Moral Formation helpful this morning.
"no amount of effort in spiritual formation or the doing of the spiritual disciplines can grow (you) or fix (you)"
"the Christian life is not fundamentally about being moral in itself or about being a good Christian boy or girl"
"the Christian life and true spiritual formation denounce the moralistic life as a way to find happiness and please God"
I also really enjoyed Richard E. Averbeck's article on Spirit, Community, and Mission: A Biblical Theology for Spiritual Formation. A good look at the Holy Spirit's work in the individual, community, and the world.
