Tag Archives: praise

Expectant Prayer

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:1-5, NIV* [Read the whole story at Biblegateway.com.]

She doesn’t ask Him in so many words to do something about it, nor suggest how He solve the problem. She just brings Him the need. And I think it’s implied that she has a trust that He not only can but will meet it.

These verses remind me today that simply bringing Jesus the need, in quiet trust that He will want to meet it, is a valid form of prayer.

Whether the Spirit leads us with specifics in prayer, or we bring requests like Mary did here, or whatever the form(s) of prayer we use, let’s each be reminded to come in an attitude of expectant trust: He cares, He’s interested in our needs, and He has the power to meet them.

Loving God, thank You that You want us to pray: to praise and enjoy You, to confess, to bring needs. Sometimes you show us specific requests to make. Sometimes, like Mary, we simply mention our concern. Help us to always come in an attitude of expectant trust. And we praise You that You care, that You’re interested in our needs, and that You have the power to meet them.

This week’s song is the old hymn, “I Must Tell Jesus,” written by Elisha A. Hoffman, sung here in fine Southern soul style by Candi Staton.

Finishing Well

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For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:6‑7, NIV*

These things Paul tells us at the end of his life—they’re what mattered most to him. These are his marks of success, and the things he was afraid he’d fail in. His daily, yearly, lifetime goals. The goals he’s trying to pass on to Timothy.

I don’t think he’s being smug here. He’s satisfied, and perhaps relieved. Failure would have devastated him, but failure is a constant danger. Being human, he may have slipped a bit, but he stayed the course. And he’d say it was because “I can do everything through him who gives me strength. ” (Philippians 4:13, NIV*)

He did it by relying on Jesus’ strength, and by keeping his focus. What’s my focus on any given day? To serve God, or just to deal with the tasks at hand? His opportunities, or my duties?

Father God, remind me whose I am and help me focus on Kingdom priorities. Let my life count for You.

∞

Our song this week is “Lord, Reign in Me,” by Brenton Brown.

What Will Jesus Say?

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In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:1-2, NIV*

I’ve read these verses before, and always focused on Paul’s charge to Timothy. This time, I saw the word “judge”.

My first response was a sense of reassurance: it’s Jesus as Judge. I trust Him. 1 John 1:9 and other verses promise His verdict for those who’ve accepted His salvation will read, “paid in full”.

On second thought, I realized it won’t stop there. Will I hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? (Matthew 25:21, NIV*)

Or have I been wasting my time, coasting, doing my own thing?

So many things take me back to Proverbs 3:5-6. Be sure God is directing. Spend time with Him daily. Trust and obey.

I can’t let the fear that I might mess up make me not step up, when there’s an opportunity. Nor can I believe the lie that pictures a stern God shaking a finger.

I need to trust His grace and forge ahead. Out of love, not out of dread or obligation.

Father God, thank You for reminding me I am accountable to You. Sometimes I forget I have limited time and opportunities, and I waste them. Thank You for Your grace that forgives and empowers. Grow in me a willing, trusting, obedient heart. Help me be a good, faithful child of the King.

∞

Jason Gray’s song, “More Like Falling in Love,” points us back to the motivation we need if we’re going to serve our King.

Be Still, My Soul

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I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Psalm 131: 1b-2, NIV*

This is one of those psalms God uses to remind me to draw nearer to Him, to learn to abide in Him. After He nudged me through 2 Timothy about needing to steep in His presence, I shouldn’t have been surprised to see these verses show up in my daily reading calendar.

Two more gentle invitations to abide arrived in my in-box, posted on other blogs. At Under the Cover of Prayer, Judith Lawrence’s post, “Contemplatives Without Cloisters,” lures me with the promise of ongoing communion with God, even amid life’s ordinary routines.

“The call is to prayer, to be at one with the Sacred at any and every given moment of the day or night.”

Meanwhile, at Other Food: Daily Devo’s, Violet Nesdoly posted “Walking with God”:

“When we walk with someone we go in the same direction. We move at the same speed. A walk conjures pictures of conversation and fellowship along the way. It is exercise non-strenuous enough that we don’t tire quickly — a relationship for the long haul.”

Violet’s post includes a selection of quotes from Andrew Murray. This one stirs a longing in my spirit:

“Abiding in Jesus is not a work that needs each moment the mind to be engaged, or the affections to be directly and actively occupied with it. It is an entrusting of oneself to the keeping of the Eternal Love, in the faith that it will abide near us, and with its holy presence watch over us and ward off the evil, even when we have to be most intently occupied with other things. And so the heart has rest and peace and joy in the consciousness of being kept when it cannot keep itself.” (Devotional Classics: Andrew Murray George Müller Collection [Andrew Murray Collection, Kindle Edition], Location 847)

Father God, Creator, Sustainer, my spirit longs for this awareness of “being kept when it cannot keep itself”. Only You could plant such a desire, and I thank You for it. You are also the only one to fulfill it. Help me do my part and learn to walk with You. Help me not to waste time fretting about things that are Your responsibility. Help me rest in You, securely held in Your keeping. Help me trust and love You in complete faith.

Note: Ann Voskamp has a beautiful post today at A Holy Experience: “Three Ways to Really Enter into His Rest Right Now”

∞

“You Are My Hiding Place,” by Selah, lets me reflect on God’s trustworthiness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co6HXUN19AY&feature=related

Of Tea and Spiritual Maturity

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You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:1, NIV*

I often read pages of Scripture before something nudges my spirit. Other times the same verse catches me for days.

This is one of those times. Today I’m looking at the “be strong in” segment of this verse.

Hot tea steeps in 3-7 minutes. Sun-brewed tea takes 2 – 5 hours. Refrigerator tea steeps 6 hours or overnight. One starts with boiling water, the others with cold.

If we’re the water, the steeping time depends on our temperature—how much heat we’ve been exposed to before we come to Jesus.

As water that hasn’t been heated enough to boil, I’m drawn to the sun tea image. Not that I can go sit in the sun and relax, but as I go through the day, can I keep that spirit-focus to be held in His Light?

Tea has an optimum strength, depending on the variety and on the taster’s preference. Leave the bags in too long and it’ll get bitter. Not so with us.

Steeping in the Lord’s grace takes a lifetime.

Father, help me rest in You—steep in Your Spirit and Your grace. Let it change and flavour me as I learn to abide in You. Quiet me, remind me, draw me ever nearer to Yourself. Cradle and sustain me until You brew me into that which You’ve designed me to be.

∞

This week’s song is “If I Could Just Sit With You Awhile,” written by Dennis Jernigan. I’m glad I found the version sung by Todd Agnew on one of his early indie CDs. Please ignore the typing issues in the video. I work with what’s available on YouTube.

Grace for Today

Christoverts, Unite

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…be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:1b, NIV*

I’m writing this on Monday, after a three day writers’ conference and a Sunday packed with church, Fathers’ Day celebrations for my husband and for our fathers—and an extended family barbecue on my husband’s side that included relatives from out of town. Some of these folks I’ve met before, some are new to me.

My husband’s uncle died last week, and we’ve gathered to support the immediate family and to work through our individual and corporate loss. Today we’ll be together for visitation and another meal. Tomorrow will be the funeral. And then the hard part will come: learning to live without a man who loved well.

I am not a people person. Groups drain my energy. But it’s not about me. I need to be a support and a comfort, especially these next few days.

As I prayed this morning and committed this crowded day to God, I reminded myself that He is my strength. When I opened my Bible, what did I see but this verse from Paul’s letter to Timothy? I’d highlighted it in the past, and it jumped right out at me in living orange.

He is so good to each one of us.

I’ve been thinking that as Christians we don’t have to be limited and labelled as introvert or extrovert.

I will find my identity from now on as a Christovert. Since I’m inventing the term, I’ll set the pronunciation: the ‘i’ is short, like in ‘Christian’, not long as in ‘Christ’.

Father, thank You for being so near to us, so ready to encourage each of us in ways perhaps only we will recognize as from You. Thank You that we don’t have to rely on ourselves. Help us draw our strength from You. Help us to be Christoverts.

∞

Our song this week is “The Solid Rock (My Hope is Built on Nothing Less)”, presented here by Amazing Worship:

He Is Who He Is

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…if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
2 Timothy 1:13, NIV*

And this is why we can trust Him: we can trust His character. God can’t be other than who He is.

I look at the foolishness, immorality and capriciousness of the Greek and Roman gods and the only reason I can figure that people worshiped them was fear. Not the good kind, the healthy respect and awareness of sovereignty that God asks of us, but the terror and need-to-appease kind.

God’s character—and our understanding of it—is central to our ability to live in confident faith in Him. He is who He is. As the hymn declares, “there is no shadow of turning” in Him. Not even a hint of uncertainty. No reason to doubt.

At times He relents, like when the people of Nineveh changed their ways. That’s good: it means He allows second chances. But He never goes back on His word. And He’s faithful to all His promises.

Holy and sovereign God, You are worthy of worship and I praise You. You are worthy of our worship, our trust, and our love. And You love us. You’ve proven that through Your Son. Teach us and help us to live by faith in You, so that we can grow into all You’ve designed us to be.

∞

Let Vicky Beeching’s song, “Yesterday, Today and Forever,” lift our spirits in worship today.

Love Letter

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Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
2 Timothy 2:7, NIV*

Paul is writing to Timothy, a young pastor with a difficult charge—and perhaps the only man Paul can trust with this particular group of people. Timothy is gifted, but he’s prone to be timid.

Paul’s been encouraging him to be strong in Christ Jesus, not to try handling things in his own strength, to teach boldly. This letter carries a sense of urgency, as if Paul’s trying to cram in every bit of advice Timothy could possibly need.

It reminds me of when I leave home for a trip and I can’t stop telling my kids “one more thing….” I don’t have my regular Bible with me as I write this, but I think the notes in it say Paul knew he was running out of time.

He didn’t want to die without passing on everything he had to this young man whom he loved like a son. So he sent this brief but full letter, written with love.

It was more than Timothy could take in with a single reading. So, “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all of this.”

Isn’t that what God has done for us, with the entire Bible? And isn’t it good that He doesn’t expect us to process it all on our own?

Father, thank You for loving us with an intensity greater than Paul’s love for Timothy. Thank You for that urgency in Your desire to communicate with us. Please give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to receive, to trust and to love. Help us reflect on what You say, and make us receptive to the Holy Spirit’s teaching. Thank You for not leaving us to find our way alone.

∞

A number of artists sing Robin Mark’s song “Ancient Words”. Here he is to sing it himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIaiXt-fSwk&feature=related

Weak is Okay… When Your God is Strong

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But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV*

Monday came with a low-level anxiety. Too many deadlines looming too near. I felt unsettled, needed comfort, reassurance. An anchor.

I found a quiet corner with my Bible, to spend some time with God. Wished I could just be with Him, instead of feeling so weak.

A new thought surprised me: don’t regret the weakness, be glad it’s pointing me to my Strength. Rest in God, draw what’s needed for each moment as it comes, be glad of the reminder to do this. Forgetting only leads to launching out alone, which tends to mean missing the mark.

I don’t have to be strong in myself. God never asks that. He asks me to recognize my need and His bounty, and to love to run to Him.

Father, I’m so thankful that in my weakness Your strength shines, and that we’ll navigate today by Your plan. It will be enough. Today I will be neither introvert nor extrovert, but Christovert.

∞

He also gave me this song for the morning. What a God, so good on so many levels. Here are my favourites, the newsboys, with “I’ll Be,” from their album Born Again. May it bless you today.

Janet Sketchley

Writing Christian Mysteries & Suspense

Tag Archives: praise

Expectant Prayer

Finishing Well

What Will Jesus Say?

Be Still, My Soul

Of Tea and Spiritual Maturity

Grace for Today

Christoverts, Unite

He Is Who He Is

Love Letter

Weak is Okay… When Your God is Strong