Embrace

4 02 2015

As God continues to teach us about how to use this gift of time, He now draws our attention to what we choose to hold close to our hearts. The wisdom writer writes in Ecclesiastes 5b, “…a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;”  What we choose to embrace says a lot about who we are. Here God reminds us that He gives us time in order to be deliberate about what we pull close to our hearts, and the things we need to release in order to embrace the life God has in store for us.

Five things to embrace today:

  1. Something that brings you deep joy
  2. A new friend
  3. Being still
  4. A fresh appreciation of grace
  5. A chance to laugh

Five things to release today:

  1. Nagging guilt
  2. More busyness
  3. The negative voice in your head
  4. That thing that is holding you back
  5. Regret

My Jesus Resolution today is to think hard about what I hold onto. I tend to hold onto the negative and let the sweet, simple, sacred moments slip through my fingers. Today I want to have my eyes open to the opportunity to release the things that weigh down my soul and embrace beauty and blessings. In the end, what I embrace and what I release will help me see how God is working all around me and in me.


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Rocks, Stones, and Pebbles

2 02 2015

What is your rock? We all have one. Something that is an obstacle that keeps us from moving forward, growing deep, or finding our focus. Jesus talks about them in one of His parables. A sower casts an amazing seed onto rocky soil. It quickly grows, but can’t go deep because there is a rock that prevents the roots from finding their footing in the soil. The sun blazes, the moisture dries up and the plant, once so full of promise and hope, withers.

We all have rocks. Hard places in our hearts that prevent the image of Jesus from taking deep root. I don’t know what your rock is. Pride, anger, bitterness, selfishness, or a sinful habit can all be rocks that are buried within us, blocking the transformation God wants to work within us.

“…a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;” – Ecclesiastes 3:5a

There are rocks that we need to cast away, but there are also stones that we need to gather. Stones lie all over the pages of the Bible. Rocks are needed to build altars so that sacrifices, worship, and praise can rise before God. Stones are gathered as memorials to help us remember who God is and how He works. Rocks are piled up in order to stand as witnesses to promises. Stones are covered with the words of God, reminding a people of who they are and who they are called to be.

We all need rocks. They become tangible reminders of the way God moves in our lives. We need places of worship that challenge us give ourselves fully in praise. We need memorial stones that pinpoint moments when we see the movement of God. We need to gather pieces of our spiritual history so that we can tell our God story to the next generation.

My Jesus Resolution today is to get rid of a rock that is keeping me from looking like Jesus. I will need help. Grace is the only thing strong enough to pry it from my heart. I also want to gather a stone today. Something that will remind me of joy, open my eyes to mercy, and help my heart celebrate His presence.

 


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Categories : Jesus Resolution

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