I watched our son climb the apple tree with a pair of loppers and begin pruning the branches. Nineteen years of watching, helping, seeing, learning, pursuing--and he is the expert. It's not the only thing he's done. It wasn't his greatest goal or focus, but it grew out of the unnoticed, quiet moments of life.
Life is about the minutes; the everyday, commonplace practices of life. I can't determine the outcome or dictate my future, but I can live intentionally in this moment. As God gives grace and I learn to live with an awareness of His presence, I can glory in the mundane. I can take joy in each moment's needs and train myself to invest in daily responsibilities and joys.
As someone who belongs to God and bears His identity, He is my primary priority. My time is His time. And when I consider the things that lie before me, none is more worthy than reading His precious Word and praying, asking for His help. Left undone, the hours unravel; the anchor is absent; the ship follows the way of the wind. Day after day; moment by moment. It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome..
My second God-given priority is my husband--and for husbands, one's wife. There is no more vivid picture of God on the face of the earth than a husband-wife partnership. God created mankind in His image; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:26-27). It takes both to represent God. Amazing. Then, as the Bible unfolds, Jesus presents Himself as the Bridegroom for the Church (Ephesians 5:25-33). The picture takes on 3-D form. This isn't about people, it's about God uniting Himself with His one-of-a-kind creation. Wow! To think that in my daily moments, my care of my spouse is a reenactment of God's eternal essence and design? Moment by moment; choice by choice. It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome..
Children are a natural outcome of the marriage relationship. God cares for children through us, their parents. This is my third biblical priority. These are my God-given disciples--the disciples I teach and train as I am going (Matthew 28:18-20). Moment by moment the story is told, day after day the minutes unfold. Simple things: brushing teeth, looking for God, listening to, talking to and trusting God, learning responsibility, being on time, loving others. These choices are practiced and learned day after day--or not. The consequences fall in both directions. Children don't suddenly do good things. They don't automatically become responsible.When we fail to train our children to do what is right and good, we are training them to do what is wrong and destructive (or negligent and lazy). It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome..
God wants me to take good care of what He's entrusted. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much" (Luke 16:10). He's given me so many blessings, abilities, time, resources, relationships, influence, opportunities--and He wants me to use them to make much of Him at work, in my community, church and organizations.
So the question for today is, where are the moments? How do I spend them? What have I been putting off? The things I view as small and unimportant are the things that grow, expand and take on a life of their own. They bear fruit--good...or bad. It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome.
And need I say--it's all about Jesus? Who started small, though Creator of all. He is the One who calls us to act based on trust.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces. (Proverbs 30:24-28)
Then [Jesus] said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32)
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17)
Life is about the minutes; the everyday, commonplace practices of life. I can't determine the outcome or dictate my future, but I can live intentionally in this moment. As God gives grace and I learn to live with an awareness of His presence, I can glory in the mundane. I can take joy in each moment's needs and train myself to invest in daily responsibilities and joys.
As someone who belongs to God and bears His identity, He is my primary priority. My time is His time. And when I consider the things that lie before me, none is more worthy than reading His precious Word and praying, asking for His help. Left undone, the hours unravel; the anchor is absent; the ship follows the way of the wind. Day after day; moment by moment. It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome..
My second God-given priority is my husband--and for husbands, one's wife. There is no more vivid picture of God on the face of the earth than a husband-wife partnership. God created mankind in His image; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:26-27). It takes both to represent God. Amazing. Then, as the Bible unfolds, Jesus presents Himself as the Bridegroom for the Church (Ephesians 5:25-33). The picture takes on 3-D form. This isn't about people, it's about God uniting Himself with His one-of-a-kind creation. Wow! To think that in my daily moments, my care of my spouse is a reenactment of God's eternal essence and design? Moment by moment; choice by choice. It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome..
Children are a natural outcome of the marriage relationship. God cares for children through us, their parents. This is my third biblical priority. These are my God-given disciples--the disciples I teach and train as I am going (Matthew 28:18-20). Moment by moment the story is told, day after day the minutes unfold. Simple things: brushing teeth, looking for God, listening to, talking to and trusting God, learning responsibility, being on time, loving others. These choices are practiced and learned day after day--or not. The consequences fall in both directions. Children don't suddenly do good things. They don't automatically become responsible.When we fail to train our children to do what is right and good, we are training them to do what is wrong and destructive (or negligent and lazy). It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome..
God wants me to take good care of what He's entrusted. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much" (Luke 16:10). He's given me so many blessings, abilities, time, resources, relationships, influence, opportunities--and He wants me to use them to make much of Him at work, in my community, church and organizations.
So the question for today is, where are the moments? How do I spend them? What have I been putting off? The things I view as small and unimportant are the things that grow, expand and take on a life of their own. They bear fruit--good...or bad. It begins with intention and delivers with action, trusting God with the outcome.
And need I say--it's all about Jesus? Who started small, though Creator of all. He is the One who calls us to act based on trust.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces. (Proverbs 30:24-28)
Then [Jesus] said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32)
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17)
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