My husband is a runner. He has run consistently for all our 34 years of marriage. His first 10k was when we first started dating. He continued with 10ks, half-marathons, whole marathons, then went on to do many 50ks. He doesn't get to run daily because of work but he tries to run at least 2-3 times a week. Therefore, many would call him a weekend warrior, however, even on weekends, he only does Saturdays. But even though he doesn't get the training time that many serious runners do, he is consistent and he does continue to do advertised runs with consistency. He has the ability to persevere over his discomfort because his desire to finish, competing only with himself, is foremost in his drive.
He is like that in his spiritual life also, although he does "train" daily, but his perseverance is amazing. His dependence on God and God's power in him has brought him to great heights of being patient and waiting on God's timing. God has also blessed him with a determined, patient and loving attitude toward my "glass half-empty" self. Which brings me to the reason of this post.
I always seem to react with "knee jerk" quickness and that has often led me to regret decisions I make. My husband may drag out a reaction and be oh so very slow to me, but at least he does think out his responses. As I prayed one day this week, I said, "God, I feel like I've fallen behind. Is that because I ran ahead of You?" As I prayed this, I thought and asked Him, "Will I ever learn to slow down?" How many times does scripture pound me with, "Be still and know that I am God." NASB says, "Cease striving and know..."
God has blessed me richly with a wonderful man to lead me. I am thankful!! I must learn to calculate with God's guidance my work and my running. I must not run ahead of God, lest I fall behind His perfect plan and path for my life. He has all the time in the world and holy patience with me but do I really want to continue learning the same lesson over and over? I must be about my Father's business and that won't happen unless I'm listening to His guidance for that work. Let us "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1
Friday, June 20, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Prayer Requests
I've blogged lines of prayer from the great prayers of puritans from a book called Valley of Vision. Once again, I would like to share some lines from these great prayers in hopes that it will benefit someone somewhere as to a new pattern of prayer. That's what these great prayers do for me. It amazes me at how far short and how shallow my prayers are in comparison. And yet, even they, were weak, fallen saints like me. It is a good reminder of the work that still needs to be done in us and our great need of the day is to pray like never before.
"Incline my heart to thy ways; mould me wholly into the image of Jesus, as a potter forms clay; may my lips be a well-tuned harp to sound thy praise; let those around see me living by thy Spirit, trampling the world under foot, unconformed to lying vanities, transformed by a renewed mind, clad in the entire armour of God, shining as a never-dimmed light, showing holiness in all my doings."
"O Master, who didst wash the disciples' feet, be very patient with me, be very condescending to my faults, go on with me till thy great work in me is completed. I desire to conquer self in every respect, to overcome the body with its affections and lusts, to keep under my flesh, to guard my manhood from all grosser sins, to check the refined power of my natural mind, to live entirely to thy glory, to be deaf to unmerited censure and the praise of men. Nothing can hurt my new-born inner man, it cannot be smitten or die; nothing can mar the dominion of thy Spirit within me; it is enough to have thy approbation and that of my conscience. Keep me humble, dependent, supremely joyful, as calm and quiet as a sucking child, yet earnest and active. I wish not so much to do as to be, and I long to be like Jesus."
AMEN!!
"Incline my heart to thy ways; mould me wholly into the image of Jesus, as a potter forms clay; may my lips be a well-tuned harp to sound thy praise; let those around see me living by thy Spirit, trampling the world under foot, unconformed to lying vanities, transformed by a renewed mind, clad in the entire armour of God, shining as a never-dimmed light, showing holiness in all my doings."
"O Master, who didst wash the disciples' feet, be very patient with me, be very condescending to my faults, go on with me till thy great work in me is completed. I desire to conquer self in every respect, to overcome the body with its affections and lusts, to keep under my flesh, to guard my manhood from all grosser sins, to check the refined power of my natural mind, to live entirely to thy glory, to be deaf to unmerited censure and the praise of men. Nothing can hurt my new-born inner man, it cannot be smitten or die; nothing can mar the dominion of thy Spirit within me; it is enough to have thy approbation and that of my conscience. Keep me humble, dependent, supremely joyful, as calm and quiet as a sucking child, yet earnest and active. I wish not so much to do as to be, and I long to be like Jesus."
AMEN!!
Bashed!
Christians, many times, come to the place where the life has been knocked out of them. Every thought, every step, and every word becomes a heavy effort of will. Psalms speak of this over and over, which is why many believers find such comfort from them, during such times. "Your arrows have sunk deep into me, Your hand has pressed down on me, I am bent over and greatly bowed down, I go mourning all day long, there is no soundness in my flesh, I am benumbed and badly crushed, I groan because of the agitation of my heart." That is just from ONE Psalm and really describes well the pain that can come upon a believer at any given time. We may not even understand why...EVER. But even though, we are bashed for whatever reason, we cannot give in to hopelessness. We cannot!!
God, Alone, does what He pleases with us for His purpose and whether we ever know the why, we either believe Him or we don't. There is no middle ground. The Psalmist knew that but that did not keep him from pain. He says, "LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am...my lifetime as nothing in Your sight...every man at his best is a mere breath."
"God gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." Romans 4:17b Abraham was to be the father of many nations, yet he was as good as dead in an old body with a wife passed the age of childbearing. HOW in the world can he hope to be a father of one, much less of many nations. And yet, Romans reminds us of this Old Testament patriarch who simply believed. And that is where we must come no matter how long it has been or how much we know already. God may need to bring us back to the beginning to remind us of how we got there in the first place.
He is the Author of Life both physical and spiritually. We have NOTHING of which to boast! "Abraham believed GOD, and it was credited to him as righteousness...In hope against hope he believed so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken." (by God) "Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; YET, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform."
"And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You." If you as a believer find yourself bashed, all hope seems gone, you must know that God is still the same God as when you were walking in encouragement. The next Psalm says, "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." Be of great courage, hope against hope, wait on the LORD. He has not moved. He does not forget His promise to us.
God, Alone, does what He pleases with us for His purpose and whether we ever know the why, we either believe Him or we don't. There is no middle ground. The Psalmist knew that but that did not keep him from pain. He says, "LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am...my lifetime as nothing in Your sight...every man at his best is a mere breath."
"God gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." Romans 4:17b Abraham was to be the father of many nations, yet he was as good as dead in an old body with a wife passed the age of childbearing. HOW in the world can he hope to be a father of one, much less of many nations. And yet, Romans reminds us of this Old Testament patriarch who simply believed. And that is where we must come no matter how long it has been or how much we know already. God may need to bring us back to the beginning to remind us of how we got there in the first place.
He is the Author of Life both physical and spiritually. We have NOTHING of which to boast! "Abraham believed GOD, and it was credited to him as righteousness...In hope against hope he believed so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken." (by God) "Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; YET, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform."
"And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You." If you as a believer find yourself bashed, all hope seems gone, you must know that God is still the same God as when you were walking in encouragement. The next Psalm says, "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." Be of great courage, hope against hope, wait on the LORD. He has not moved. He does not forget His promise to us.
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