Miracles lie on the other side of our obedience. But let’s consider the implications of that – in order for a miracle to exist, we have to encounter an impossible situation. We don’t love that part. We get way more excited about the miracle than we do the circumstances that necessitate the miracle.
For Christians, this word can be tough, depending on what denomination raised you. For non-Christians, this word can be the very thing that has kept you out of the faith. And, as with most hot-button issues, everyone has their own definition.
My prayer lately has been that we would follow after God step by step, moment by moment. Not looking left, not looking right. Eyes locked on the One who walks with us. And ultimately, whether the path we trod is smooth or riddled with potholes, that we would cling to the hand of the Good Shepherd.
For those of us who are hardwired for activity – the ones who get. stuff. done. – waiting can be torture. But what if we misunderstood the assignment?
Have you ever paused and considered what you would tell your younger self? I think it’s a good practice because it forces us to stop, to take stock of how much we’ve grown. And odds are, the advice we’d give to the younger generation is advice we still need to hear now.
Let’s talk about it…
I know what my flesh wants, but my soul is resigned to your will, Father. Don’t let this turn out according to my plans. Rather, strengthen me to endure so that your perfect will may come to pass.
There’s an interesting juxtaposition in this Ephesians passage: first, God saved us through His own grace and not by anything we did or could ever do for ourselves. But also, we were created to do good works. So even though we could not save ourselves, there is still something we can do on the other side of God’s salvation.
Everything around us is planned – bus schedules, movie times, meetings with agendas, etc. all so that we can schedule our lives accordingly. Sometimes it can even feel like we are at the mercy of some master calendar that we didn’t sign off on. But if Jesus is Lord, then we are on his calendar. So why are we still bound by culture’s schedule? Let’s talk about it…
How do you know if your worship is pleasing to God? Can it be measured by how you feel? Is it counted in the number of tears you shed during the last song on a Sunday morning or by how high you lift your hands? One hand or two hands?
If God opened our eyes to all that He is, all that He is doing, how might we be changed?