My One Word

I spend a lot of time worrying about tomorrow.  Will I have enough money? Will there be enough time to do the things I dream of doing? This sermon series has me thinking a little different. I am starting to feel the only thing I need is to get over myself. I am working toward that end.

The word, discipline, has been in my face a lot lately. Each year around this same time, I begin praying about or for, the word God wants to use to speak to me. The words God has used in the past always seemed to coincide with something I need to learn. A behavior I needed to improve or eliminate. He even uses words as an acknowledgement of a season of life I am stepping out of or into.

For example, one year, faith was my word. God wrapped it in scripture verses for an appointed day in my devotional; or plopped it right in the devotion for that day. That year I began to intentionally build my faith, spending an twelve months seeking God's direction and blessing the area of faith.

The year following my husband's death, my word of perseverance. That year I felt God's hand on my life and my hart as I practiced perseverance in spite of the difficulties and obstacles. Today, I find myself praying for my word for 2018. God keeps bringing me to the word discipline. Oh, oh. What is this about?

I recognize that God has been preparing me for this. I know how much I need discipline in many areas of my life. He is preparing me for tomorrow. He is showing me where I need to improve. He is revealing how my focus needs to be pulled away from all those things I want...and they need to be on all those things I have.

I love these words from Proverbs 3:11-12 (MSG)

But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; 

don’t sulk under his loving correction.

It’s the child he loves that God corrects;

a father’s delight is behind all this.

I am still in the process of discerning what discipline will mean for me moving forward, but I am sure it will be just what I need.

1 Corinthians 9:24-26

Tomorrow and so much more

It is helpful to read a variety of author's views on the same topic. We often discover fresh new ways to view the same familiar concepts. It helps us to see there is more than one viewpoint to the same subject. There is more than one interpretation for an identical statement. The way we perceive something has so much to do with where we are in life today, at this very moment.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 14:16 NIV)

When I read the NIV version above, it is concise and to the point. Don't forget to do good and share with others. Those are words my 'youthful' ears would hear my mother or grandmother voice, as I to go out and play. They are reminding me to remember what I have been taught about playing nice with others.

Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. (Hebrews 14:16 MSG)

The Message version tells me more; as I am now an adult and want answers to my question, "Why? What does it matter?" I understand my actions will have consequences, and my attitude will often drive these actions.

Perhaps the piece of advice I hear in this text to make sure we don't take things for granted. There is danger in becoming complacent and too confident that we will have tomorrow to make things right. We aren't promised a tomorrow. But we are promised a Savior who will promise and delivery just that; tomorrow and every other tomorrow, with Him.

Hebrews 14:13-21

Tomorrow and so much more

It is helpful to read a variety of author's views on the same topic. We often discover fresh new ways to view the same familiar concepts. It helps us to see there is more than one viewpoint to the same subject. There is more than one interpretation for an identical statement. The way we perceive something has so much to do with where we are in life today, at this very moment.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 14:16 NIV)

When I read the NIV version above, it is concise and to the point. Don't forget to do good and share with others. Those are words my 'youthful' ears would hear my mother or grandmother voice, as I to go out and play. They are reminding me to remember what I have been taught about playing nice with others.

Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. (Hebrews 14:16 MSG)

The Message version tells me more; as I am now an adult and want answers to my question, "Why? What does it matter?" I understand my actions will have consequences, and my attitude will often drive these actions.

Perhaps the piece of advice I hear in this text to make sure we don't take things for granted. There is danger in becoming complacent and too confident that we will have tomorrow to make things right. We aren't promised a tomorrow. But we are promised a Savior who will promise and delivery just that; tomorrow and every other tomorrow, with Him.

Hebrews 14:13-21

Tomorrow and so much more

It is helpful to read a variety of author's views on the same topic. We often discover fresh new ways to view the same familiar concepts. It helps us to see there is more than one viewpoint to the same subject. There is more than one interpretation for an identical statement. The way we perceive something has so much to do with where we are in life today, at this very moment.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 14:16 NIV)

When I read the NIV version above, it is concise and to the point. Don't forget to do good and share with others. Those are words my 'youthful' ears would hear my mother or grandmother voice, as I to go out and play. They are reminding me to remember what I have been taught about playing nice with others.

Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. (Hebrews 14:16 MSG)

The Message version tells me more; as I am now an adult and want answers to my question, "Why? What does it matter?" I understand my actions will have consequences, and my attitude will often drive these actions.

Perhaps the piece of advice I hear in this text to make sure we don't take things for granted. There is danger in becoming complacent and too confident that we will have tomorrow to make things right. We aren't promised a tomorrow. But we are promised a Savior who will promise and delivery just that; tomorrow and every other tomorrow, with Him.

Hebrews 14:13-21

What Yesterday Promises for Tomorrow

"The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."  Psalm 121:7-8

I love growing older.  I really do.  Easy to say, perhaps, because I've not yet reached the point of deteriorating health, but the perspective that comes with age is wonderful!

Stop and look back on your life.  No matter what age you are, stop and look back.  Can you now see the heretofore invisible hand of God that guided you through every step of your journey?  It might be fascinating to make a list of his works in your life.  Who did God send to you with the truth of salvation in Christ?  Who did he send to teach and nurture you in understanding and wisdom?  When did God protect you from – or lead you through – physical danger? How did he sustain you in – or deliver you from – unhealthy relationships? What strength did he build in your spirit amid your toughest trials?  And when did God surprise you with blessings for which you never even thought to ask?

Maybe he led you around a problem, avoiding certain calamity.  More often, likely,  he ushered you right through difficulty, opposition and trial.  Like the Daniel's friends in the furnace or Daniel, himself, in the lions' den, you weren't spared the harmful experience, but you endured it and emerged from it by the power of him who is sovereign over all things and all circumstances. And who knows the number of times God protected us without our even knowing it!  I think we'll be surprised and awed when we learn that one day.

One thing is certain.  The God who we see through retrospection is no less God today.  The God who has been with us every step along the way is no less faithful today.  The God who delivered us in the past is no less powerful today. The God who has always taken the initiative to care for us loves us every bit as much today.

Filled with awe of God's proactive love in our past, we can confidently proclaim with the Psalmist, "The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore."