Taking a long deep breath

The Message bible says in Exodus 31:17, It is a fixed sign between me and the Israelites, Yes because in six days God made the heavens and the Earth and on the seventh day he stopped and took a long deep breath.

I don't pretend to understand how God made the heavens and the Earth, I just believe that He did. I don't pretend to understand how He felt at the end of those six days. 

The Amplified bible says for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day He ceased and was refreshed.

In my little life I am quickly learning the value of taking a long deep breath, of ceasing and making time to be refreshed. Yesterday I had the opportunity to 'cease' for almost three hours, by way of sitting on a train, in a 'quiet carriage', listening, uninterrupted to worship music. It was a much needed time of reflection on how good God has been to me, how perfect His timing has been. It was a time of drawing strength from meditating on the character of God and getting a great understanding of His essence.

The wave of emotions that passed through me in those three hours of ceasing and taking a long deep breath were most interesting. Starting with a time of 'getting settled', then moving to grieve and despair as I reflected on my circumstances. Then, aided by the song Sing Along from Passion's White Flag album, the Holy Spirit lifted my faith and filled me with hope for the future. 

As I alighted the train almost three hours later I felt like a completely different person, assured of God's love and reminded of His faithfulness. How important it was to take that long deep breath. Again God's timing was perfect.

Question for today, when was the last time you ceased and took a long deep breath, taking time to reflect on God and His character? How did you feel after that time of rest? If you feel like you need to rest again now, why not ask God to help make a way for that time to happen for you?

Do this with humility and discipline

In the light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run! on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and start, but steadily, pouring yourselves our for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. Ephesians 4:1-3 The Message

What a challenge I felt this morning as I read this scripture, run on the road God has called you to, no strolling off, no fits and starts. That certainly is a challenge as other things in life can sometimes so easily become all consuming and distract us from the path God has called us to. 

The words 'humility' and 'discipline' really stood out for me, as two of the key character traits required to help one stay true to God's calling on your life.  As I started to ponder these two words and think about how difficult it can be to live a life exemplifying them, I felt God say to me, 'You don't have to strive in your own strength to be humble and disciplined, remember the fruit of the Spirit I have given to you.'

So my mind traveled to the scripture in Galatians 4:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience  kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)

This moment of revelation reminded me that God never asks us to do something that he hasn't equipped us for, or provided the help for us that we will need along the path. 

The Holy Spirit will help me to run on the road God has called me, and to run with humility and discipline, if I continually submit to His promptings. And that submission is another challenge for another day!

Yes, that is my prayer today, God, Thank you for providing all I need to stay on the path you have called me. Please help me to operate out of the fruit of the Spirit, so I do as you have called me to do, in the way you want me to do it.

Question for today, how are you travelling on the road God has called you to travel? Are you as humble and disciplined as you could be? Or are you like me, needing to constantly ask God for help to live out the fruit of the Spirit? Why not ask God for that help too?

Your eyes focused and clear

But I do more than thank. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, oh, the utter extravagance of his work is us who trust him - endless energy, boundless strength. Ephesians 1:16-19

What a great prayer for us to offer up to Jesus, asking to keep our 'eyes focused and clear', so we can move into a closer relationship with God and gain insight into His plan for our lives and the inner character He is building in us to help us fulfill his purpose.

For me there used to be many many times in the day when my eyes were not focused and clear on the purposes of God. Rather they were focused and clear on the purposes of Wendy! This selfish focus would cause all sorts of problems, especially when I was less than considerate of the people around me, in order to achieve my purposes! 

However, thankfully for me (and those around me), times have changed as I have begun to understand God's grace, and learn how to live out of grace, and extend grace to those who live life with me. I thank God that He is slowly making me more 'intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally', helping me to knowing and understand His amazing grace.

Of course there are still times when I am focused on the purposes of Wendy, but the more discernment I have about God, the more I recognize the nudge of the Holy Spirit, gently saying, 'whose purpose are you focusing on now?' 

Thankfully most times nowadays I stop and listen to that nudge, and check back in with God regarding my actions. When I do stop and listen, and often alter my plans in response, I find that I have the 'endless energy, boundless strength' that I need to complete the plans. I thank God that He always knows best.

Question for today, what are your eyes focused and clear on?  Do they need adjusting, if so, ask God to help you to be intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally.