"[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of... the people close to his heart" (Psalm 148:14).
"People close to his heart." I am close to the Lord's heart! You are close to the Lord's heart!
Remember John at the Last Supper? He reclined on Jesus' chest and later he told the whole world again and again: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!" (John 13:23, 26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).
What a blessing it is when I'm meditating on Scripture and the Holy Spirit brings the Word to life in my heart like this! Words I've read many times before suddenly blossom into vibrant, new life. What a surprise! What a joy! It's as if I've never read the words before, though I've read them many times.
Oh, to be captivated by Christ all the time! Oh, to be continually drawn into the glorious realm of his kingdom of the heavens!
Linger with my little prayer poem, "Come Close to Christ." Imagine yourself with Jesus as John was you too will start skipping and rejoicing with John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"
Come Close to Christ
Come to Christ
Supper with the Savior
See his smile
Lean on the Lord
Hear his heartbeat
Delight to be his disciple
What a wonderful scene this is! What a prayer! As often as you can remember today try reminding yourself, "I am close to the Lord's heart... I am the disciple Jesus loves..."
Who do you know who needs to "Come Close to Christ"? Offer a prayer for him or her. "_______ is close to the Lord's heart... _______ is the disciple Jesus loves..."
It'd be good to send your friend a word of encouragement right now!
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Showing posts with label discipleship to Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discipleship to Jesus. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Extend your Sled Run in the New Year!
“New things I declare to you. Before they spring into being I announce them to you. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth… See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wilderness.” (Isaiah 42:9, 10; 43:19)
When was the last time you went sledding in the snow? Maybe it's been awhile. When I see a snow-covered hill the boy in me comes out! Over the years Kristi and I have had some exciting adventures on sled runs with our kids. Our favorite spot to sled is on the big hill in the forest right behind the cabin we go to in Lake Arrowhead, CA.
One time after an hour of sliding and shrieking with delight, David (he was 13 years old) and I decided that rather than joining Kristi and the girls in going back to the cabin to sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate we'd extended the sled run. We added a snow bank and made a groove that turned to the right and then went farther down the hill. I call it a big hill, but it's really the side of the mountain and it sent us flying. And I do mean flying! We got airborne!
But the most thrilling part was the end. That was the steepest, fastest part of the sled run and it headed straight for the street. Picture this. There we were, both of us sitting in this long sled, me in the back and David tucked just in front of me and leaning back against my chest, and we'd go soaring down the mountain and screaming with excitement, "Yeahhh!" Then at the last second David would yell, "Bail!" and we'd launch ourselves off of the sleds to go sliding and laughing into the snow bank while the sled crashed into the street below.
That was fun! And that's a picture of how I want to start the New Year. I want to extend my sled run. God has more of his life for me then I have yet learned to expand into. And he has more for you too!
Let's go sledding with Jesus! Let's improve the sled run! And let's bail out on living for own goals in our own strength. Let’s aim to live our whole lives as Jesus' apprentices – it’s the greatest adventure of life! Nothing is more fun and more meaningful.
When was the last time you went sledding in the snow? Maybe it's been awhile. When I see a snow-covered hill the boy in me comes out! Over the years Kristi and I have had some exciting adventures on sled runs with our kids. Our favorite spot to sled is on the big hill in the forest right behind the cabin we go to in Lake Arrowhead, CA.
One time after an hour of sliding and shrieking with delight, David (he was 13 years old) and I decided that rather than joining Kristi and the girls in going back to the cabin to sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate we'd extended the sled run. We added a snow bank and made a groove that turned to the right and then went farther down the hill. I call it a big hill, but it's really the side of the mountain and it sent us flying. And I do mean flying! We got airborne!
But the most thrilling part was the end. That was the steepest, fastest part of the sled run and it headed straight for the street. Picture this. There we were, both of us sitting in this long sled, me in the back and David tucked just in front of me and leaning back against my chest, and we'd go soaring down the mountain and screaming with excitement, "Yeahhh!" Then at the last second David would yell, "Bail!" and we'd launch ourselves off of the sleds to go sliding and laughing into the snow bank while the sled crashed into the street below.
That was fun! And that's a picture of how I want to start the New Year. I want to extend my sled run. God has more of his life for me then I have yet learned to expand into. And he has more for you too!
Let's go sledding with Jesus! Let's improve the sled run! And let's bail out on living for own goals in our own strength. Let’s aim to live our whole lives as Jesus' apprentices – it’s the greatest adventure of life! Nothing is more fun and more meaningful.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Apprentice Prayer
I used to get up thinking about – or worrying about! – all the things I needed to do that day and rushing to get going on them. But I’ve learned to begin my day in quiet prayer. (Sometimes to do this I have to wrestle the anxieties off of me!)
Years ago I learned to offer the first words of the day to my Lord: “I love you Jesus!”
This has grown into “the Apprentice Prayer”: a simple but powerful prayer of devotion to Jesus.
I use The Apprentice Prayer to train my heart to live as an apprentice to Jesus. It helps me to rejoice in the Lord in trials, submit to his kingdom in all that I do, and listen to what God is teaching me through the events of my day. It also helps me to entrust myself and my loved one’s to God’s providential, loving care.
Begin this New Year by offering The Apprentice Prayer (or your own paraphrased version) each morning for a number of days. Form a prayer habit of the heart and you’ll be amazed at how God uses it to help you to live as the disciple Jesus loves!
The Apprentice Prayer
Jesus, I love you! Father, I adore you. Holy Spirit, I rely on you.
Lord Jesus, I seek to live as your apprentice in all that I do today. I submit myself to you and your kingdom. In all things today I pray, “Your will, your way, your time.”
Dear Father, I ask you to ordain the events of this day and use them to make me more like Jesus. I trust you, Sovereign Lord, that you won’t let anything happen to my family or me today, except that it passes through your loving hands. So no matter what problems, hardships, or injustices I face today help me not to worry or get frustrated, but instead to relax in the yoke of your providence. Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!
My Lord, I devote my whole self to you. I want to be all and only for Jesus! Today, I love you with all my heart (intentions and choices), all my soul (personality), all my mind (thoughts), all my strength (body and energy), and all my relationships (conversations and interactions).
Today, I depend on you, Holy Spirit, not my own resources. Help me to keep in step with you.
Today, I look to love others as you love me, dear God, blessing everyone I meet, even those who mistreat me.
Today, I’m ready to lead people to follow you, Jesus.
Amen.
Years ago I learned to offer the first words of the day to my Lord: “I love you Jesus!”
This has grown into “the Apprentice Prayer”: a simple but powerful prayer of devotion to Jesus.
I use The Apprentice Prayer to train my heart to live as an apprentice to Jesus. It helps me to rejoice in the Lord in trials, submit to his kingdom in all that I do, and listen to what God is teaching me through the events of my day. It also helps me to entrust myself and my loved one’s to God’s providential, loving care.
Begin this New Year by offering The Apprentice Prayer (or your own paraphrased version) each morning for a number of days. Form a prayer habit of the heart and you’ll be amazed at how God uses it to help you to live as the disciple Jesus loves!
The Apprentice Prayer
Jesus, I love you! Father, I adore you. Holy Spirit, I rely on you.
Lord Jesus, I seek to live as your apprentice in all that I do today. I submit myself to you and your kingdom. In all things today I pray, “Your will, your way, your time.”
Dear Father, I ask you to ordain the events of this day and use them to make me more like Jesus. I trust you, Sovereign Lord, that you won’t let anything happen to my family or me today, except that it passes through your loving hands. So no matter what problems, hardships, or injustices I face today help me not to worry or get frustrated, but instead to relax in the yoke of your providence. Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!
My Lord, I devote my whole self to you. I want to be all and only for Jesus! Today, I love you with all my heart (intentions and choices), all my soul (personality), all my mind (thoughts), all my strength (body and energy), and all my relationships (conversations and interactions).
Today, I depend on you, Holy Spirit, not my own resources. Help me to keep in step with you.
Today, I look to love others as you love me, dear God, blessing everyone I meet, even those who mistreat me.
Today, I’m ready to lead people to follow you, Jesus.
Amen.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Rejoicing on a Mundane Monday
Much of our lives includes ordinary work and chores. We all have to do things that don't excite us at work or around the house or in running errands. It's easy to lapse into feeling bored, empty, or like we are trivial. Or to complain (in our thoughts if not out loud) about what we have to do.
This was my temptation beginning my Monday.
To keep from grumping along today I picked up a special prayer rock. It's piece of the outdoor stone theatre in Sephoris Israel. Jesus may have helped to build this marvelous theatre where the "play actors" (same word as "hypocrite" in the Bible) performed.
As I've held my rock today I've thought about Jesus working hour after hour as a carpenter or a stone cutter. I've thought about my "Blue Collar Savior" smiling as he serves hard to please customers and blesses them when they complain. I've imagined him meditating on Scripture and praying while he worked.
For most of his life on earth Jesus worked an ordinary job in an obscure village, loving God and people, praying and playing with his Father, day after day.
Today, Jesus is helping me to appreciate his presence in my midst. In the words of the Apostle John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"
Could there be any greater cause for rejoicing than that? Even on a mundane Monday!
This was my temptation beginning my Monday.
To keep from grumping along today I picked up a special prayer rock. It's piece of the outdoor stone theatre in Sephoris Israel. Jesus may have helped to build this marvelous theatre where the "play actors" (same word as "hypocrite" in the Bible) performed.
As I've held my rock today I've thought about Jesus working hour after hour as a carpenter or a stone cutter. I've thought about my "Blue Collar Savior" smiling as he serves hard to please customers and blesses them when they complain. I've imagined him meditating on Scripture and praying while he worked.
For most of his life on earth Jesus worked an ordinary job in an obscure village, loving God and people, praying and playing with his Father, day after day.
Today, Jesus is helping me to appreciate his presence in my midst. In the words of the Apostle John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"
Could there be any greater cause for rejoicing than that? Even on a mundane Monday!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Why did Paul rarely quote Jesus?
Recently I read an article that pointed out that the Apostle Paul only quoted Jesus three times (Acts 20:35, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, and 2 Corinthians 12:9).
How could this be? The man who was the most like Jesus and who wrote half of the New Testament only quoted Jesus three times?
Like Jesus, Paul spoke and wrote with the authority of the Holy Spirit. He didn't "proof text" his teachings with quotes. He simply oozed Jesus!
For Paul the life and teaching of his Lord and Savior was so interwoven in his character and in all that he said and did that you couldn't separate Paul from Jesus. When people saw Paul they saw Jesus. Even today, 2,000 years later, when we think of Paul we immediately think of his Master Jesus.
Paul was "in Christ." His identity - his every breath - was about Jesus Christ: loving him and encouraging other people to love him. What a great example of being a disciple of Jesus!
May you and I be like Paul, living confidently "in Christ" and oozing the Spirit of Christ out from our pores onto people all around us!
How could this be? The man who was the most like Jesus and who wrote half of the New Testament only quoted Jesus three times?
Like Jesus, Paul spoke and wrote with the authority of the Holy Spirit. He didn't "proof text" his teachings with quotes. He simply oozed Jesus!
For Paul the life and teaching of his Lord and Savior was so interwoven in his character and in all that he said and did that you couldn't separate Paul from Jesus. When people saw Paul they saw Jesus. Even today, 2,000 years later, when we think of Paul we immediately think of his Master Jesus.
Paul was "in Christ." His identity - his every breath - was about Jesus Christ: loving him and encouraging other people to love him. What a great example of being a disciple of Jesus!
May you and I be like Paul, living confidently "in Christ" and oozing the Spirit of Christ out from our pores onto people all around us!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Humility of the Trinity
Have you ever thought about the fact that neither the Father God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit draw attention to themselves? In the Bible we don't read one of the members of the Trinity saying, "Praise me!" Or, "Look how great I am!"
In some places God may seem to draw attention to himself, but this is God as a Trinity, a holy community of love, and it's for our good that we recognize and appreciate the reality of God's goodness and beauty.
The New Testament unfolds for us some of the glorious mystery of the Three in the One and how they shine a spotlight on one another...
The Father thunders from heaven for all to hear: "Jesus is my beloved son and in him I am well pleased!"
The Son proclaims in public: "The Father is greater than all!" And is protective of the Holy Spirit, not himself, "It's okay if you blaspheme me, but don't ever blaspheme the Holy Spirit!"
And the Holy Spirit cries out from the heart and out the lips of every Christian: "Abba Father!" "Jesus is Lord!"
And on top of this, "The Lord stoops down to make you and I great!" (Psalm 18:35) The Father adopts us as his beloved children! Jesus goes to the cross to die for us! The Holy Spirit makes our bodies his temple!
Knowing God like this inspires our admiration for his true greatness, our trust in his love, and our ability to love others with humble generosity.
In some places God may seem to draw attention to himself, but this is God as a Trinity, a holy community of love, and it's for our good that we recognize and appreciate the reality of God's goodness and beauty.
The New Testament unfolds for us some of the glorious mystery of the Three in the One and how they shine a spotlight on one another...
The Father thunders from heaven for all to hear: "Jesus is my beloved son and in him I am well pleased!"
The Son proclaims in public: "The Father is greater than all!" And is protective of the Holy Spirit, not himself, "It's okay if you blaspheme me, but don't ever blaspheme the Holy Spirit!"
And the Holy Spirit cries out from the heart and out the lips of every Christian: "Abba Father!" "Jesus is Lord!"
And on top of this, "The Lord stoops down to make you and I great!" (Psalm 18:35) The Father adopts us as his beloved children! Jesus goes to the cross to die for us! The Holy Spirit makes our bodies his temple!
Knowing God like this inspires our admiration for his true greatness, our trust in his love, and our ability to love others with humble generosity.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Building a Life
I've been building a library with desks and bookcases in the loft of our home. This includes computer workstations for our kids.
I loved designing this. I also like working with the wood. But the painting and staining and touch up is a real drag! And there are so many pieces to fit together right - a few times I've had to re-do whole sections which was quite discouraging!
Years ago I learned that the reality of completing a project is so much more difficult than the idea of it. When I start out I can see what it'll look like in my mind, but completing the project takes so long! It's hard for me to be patient with the process.
Life is the same. Moving from a dream to a reality is a process. What's helping me to be more patient and to find more meaning in the process of whatever I'm building is to put God first.
So I seek to listen to God's dreams for me, work on the project with him by being prayerful as I do it, and accept that however the project goes (it seems there are always disappointments and frustrations!) it's an opportunity for me to learn from Jesus.
May Jesus be the Master Builder in our lives and may we find meaning in assisting him.
I loved designing this. I also like working with the wood. But the painting and staining and touch up is a real drag! And there are so many pieces to fit together right - a few times I've had to re-do whole sections which was quite discouraging!
Years ago I learned that the reality of completing a project is so much more difficult than the idea of it. When I start out I can see what it'll look like in my mind, but completing the project takes so long! It's hard for me to be patient with the process.
Life is the same. Moving from a dream to a reality is a process. What's helping me to be more patient and to find more meaning in the process of whatever I'm building is to put God first.
So I seek to listen to God's dreams for me, work on the project with him by being prayerful as I do it, and accept that however the project goes (it seems there are always disappointments and frustrations!) it's an opportunity for me to learn from Jesus.
May Jesus be the Master Builder in our lives and may we find meaning in assisting him.
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