Tag: devotion

Apathy and the Wilderness

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Luke 5:16 (ASV)
But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed.

Apathy is the death of man’s spiritual relationship with God.  It happens when we stop caring, or find ourselves at a point in our lives where we are unfeeling.  Have you been there before?  It can be both terrifying and silent because we are often very good at faking it.  We are often quite good at acting the part even when the heart isn’t in it.

I don’t mean to cast any doubts your way today or cause you to feel down…because there is hope in all of this!  Sometimes this pathway of apathy leads directly to the wilderness.  What do I mean by the wilderness?  I don’t mean an empty lonely place full of strife and pain.  When I say wilderness I am implying that there are times in which God is longing for us to draw closer to Him.  If we are aware of this apathetic pathway we can take steps in the right direction.

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Why did God lead His people into the wilderness in the first place?   Through this dry and thirsty place God showed His chosen ones how they could fully rely on Him.  He was present for them.  He was (and still is) in love with His people.  When they were in this barren wilderness the total acknowledgement that they needed help became completely apparent.  Stepping onto this pathway of apathy is dangerous, but it can also lead us back to the wilderness and back to a right relationship with God.

Are you unfeeling today?  Are you simply  going through the motions in life right now?  Sure the routine is somewhat rewarding but somehow you’ve lost that passion you once had.  Perhaps it’s time to take a step into the wilderness once again and get reconnected with the Almighty.  Apathy might be the death of man’s spiritual relationship with God…but it doesn’t have to be!

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Taking time to stand before God without distractions of all kinds is absolutely necessary!  If Jesus had to get away and commune with the Father what makes us think that we can simply ‘go it alone’?  The truth of the matter is we cannot!  The wilderness is calling…will you go?  Will you take the time that your spirit and heart crave?  Will you sacrifice some of your schedule in this day and give it completely to God so that He has your undivided attention?  It’s not so much for His benefit but rather completely for our benefit and His renewal that we do this.

Go into your wilderness and meet with The Father, and over time you will find that every motion your body makes, every schedule that you keep matters to Him as well.  He wants to be included in it all, He wants you to bring glory to Him in all things.  But it begins with our time in the wilderness before Him.

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Whose ‘Will’ is it?

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“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:10)

 

It’s from the ‘Lord’s prayer’.  You’ve probably recited it any number of times, but have you really thought about what you’re actually saying?

When we say to God, “Father you are holy” we acknowledge two things, the first is that He is our heavenly Father and that secondly He is holy.  Kinda obvious isn’t?  But when we get to the next line of the ‘Lord’s prayer’, what we begin to realize is that our prayer to God isn’t about what we can get from Him, but rather what we can give Him.

A few verses back Jesus even tells His disciples not to pray like the hypocrites who love to hear their own voices and want others to hear them as well.  Our prayers can be corporate but they should also be private conversations with God throughout our day.

Back to His Kingdom:

What we mean when we say “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is this: God you are God of my life and I want to be a part of Your kingdom.  We are also saying that God’s Will is more important than that of our human will.  Essentially what we are saying is ‘God I trust you and I surrender to you!’…but do we really?   I don’t know about you but letting go of the control that I have on my life isn’t something that I’m good at.  It’s a powerless feeling to let go, and yet when we pray this prayer or something similar to it,  we are implying exactly that.  If we don’t mean what we say then why are we saying it in the first place?

I liken it to parenting.  I’m a father of four children.  They mean the world to me and I am proud of each of them for who they are.  As their father I want what is best for them.  I want to see them succeed in every area of life.  In school, I want to see them get good grades and flourish.  In social settings, I want my kids to have healthy friendships and strong bonds and connections with others.  As future adults I want them to be wise with their resources and smart with their money.  I want to see my children succeed and so I guide them and provide them the wisdom that I have learned since I’ve been on this earth longer than they have.  In the same way isn’t that what our Father in Heaven wants from us?  He wants us to love Him first, but next there is that deep longing for us to succeed in this life!  He wants to guide us, He wants to provide for us and show us how to live better lives.  The key is that we have to listen.  We have to subjugate ourselves, or submit ourselves to His kingdom and His will.   When we view this submission not as negative thing or that we are losing our freedom, but rather we are gaining our freedom then it becomes clearer as to how important it is to submit to the will of God.

We don’t pray this line to mean, God wipe out all of my enemies and crush them with your kingdom.  We aren’t turning prayer into another selfish edict of our wills…but rather we are first saying, “Lord it has to begin with me…right here, right now…teach me, I am submitting to your will not mine anymore.”  When we can say this and actually mean it there is freedom.  When we find ourselves willfully submitting to His will great things can and will take place.  The world might become fiercer because of it, you might face stronger opposition in your life but you now are fully engaged in the workings of God and not your workings any longer.  Our Father in Heaven wants us to trust Him, and He wants us to allow His wisdom and will to guide our lives.  He wants us to succeed because He cares and loves us.

This isn’t some magic phrase that we say to make things work better in our lives.  This isn’t some mantra that we utter habitually and thereby willing our essence to perform amazing tasks either.  No, what we mean when we say these lines to our Father is “Here I am at your feet ready to submit all that I am to your kingdom and your will.”

What does that mean to you today? 

Have you submitted yourself, your will, your desires, you hopes and dream to Him?

It won’t be easy, but if you let Him reside in you and allow His kingdom and will to replace yours, you will be amazed that you didn’t allow Him to do so earlier.   Make it your private prayer today to say “Lord, your kingdom come (in my life) your will be done (in my life) on earth as it is in heaven.

-Blessings on your day today!

Prayer:

Lord I confess to you many times I have not allowed you access to my entire life.  I have held back and tried to force my will not your will to be done.  Forgive me and show me today how I should submit myself to you.  I know that you want what is best in my life.  I know that you want me to succeed.  Help me to follow you, help me to trust you with everything in my life.  I want to turn it over to you today.  This I pray in Your name, may your will be done and your kingdom come in and through my life.  –Amen. 

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Benedictions of Blessing?

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This is an old Franciscan Benediction:  

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

Not sure about you, but this benediction speaks to me.  We often sugar coat our faith, puff it up to look good, wax eloquence and polish the rusting faith.  Here in these phrases, speaks something genuine and real.  It speaks to the heart of life, and how we truly live it.  Today, God has impressed upon me the need to be real with Him.  Not phony or half-truthful, but genuine.   Do you know what the tough thing about being genuine is?  It’s being vulnerable.  For most, including me at times, it’s the scariest proposition.  Because allowing God to view us in this light is difficult and frightening.  

May this prayer of blessing and benediction be yours today as well!  

 

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