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Thursday, March 7, 2024

a pure heart

Opening Prayer: “Create in me a pure heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”  For unless you cleanse me, I will never be clean; unless you wash me, I will never be pure.

Read: Psalm 51:1-10

Reflect: In the life of the Spirit, we see through the eyes of the heart.  Therefore, if our hearts are not pure and clean, our seeing is twisted and distorted.  The mess within us skews our vision and keeps us from seeing things—our world, ourselves, and our God—as they really are.

That’s why the words of this ancient prayer are so important: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  It’s also why Jesus tells us: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8) For only when our hearts are pure, will our eyes be clear enough to see him accurately.

Thus, a daily purifying is necessary.  “Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.”  Each day we must confess and repent.  Each day we must turn from our sinful, broken, and self-consumed ways of being and seeing, and ask God, once again, to create in us a pure heart.  He is the only one who can do that.  We can’t clean it up ourselves.  God is the only one who can rid us of all that distorts, hinders, and deforms us, so that we can be made clean, whole, and new.

Pray

Closing Prayer: “Cleanse me with hyssop, O God, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.”

Monday, February 19, 2024

it's time

Opening Prayer: O God, what will you do to conquer the fearful hardness of our hearts?  Lord, you must give us new hearts, tender hearts, sensitive hearts, to replace hearts that are made of marble and of bronze.  You must give us your own Heart, Jesus.  Come, lovable Heart of Jesus.  Place your Heart deep in the center of our hearts and enkindle in each heart a flame of love as strong, as great, as the sum of all the reasons that I have for loving you.  O holy Heart of Jesus, dwell hidden in my heart, so that I may live only in you and only for you, so that, in the end, I may live with you eternally in heaven.  Amen. ~St. Claude La Colombière

Scripture: Mark 1:15-16

Journal: What does “It’s time” mean to you right now?  What is God calling you to?  What is your response?  What does repent and believe look like for you these days?

Reflection: “The time has come.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe the good news.” (Mark 1:15)

O God, I sense that you are calling me deeper and deeper into the heart of Jesus these days, to become more and more like him.  I’m not exactly sure what I’ve been waiting for, but it’s time!  It’s time to surrender to you in a whole new/deeper way.  It’s time to know your love and affection at levels I’ve only dreamt about.  It’s time to take another step toward you and away from me.  Give me the strength and the courage and the grace to do so.  Help me, O Lord, to not delay.  It’s time!

Pray

Closing Prayer: Forgive me, O Lord, that my life is still mostly about me rather than about you.  It’s time to change that.  It’s time to truly repent and believe the good news.  Help me to take that step. 

Friday, February 9, 2024

a severe companion

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me when I resist, or run away from, sharing in your sufferings.  If it was through your sufferings that you were “made perfect” (Heb. 2:10), why would I expect it to be any different for me?  Help me to be willing to do, or to go through, whatever it takes to become more like you.

Scripture: Philippians 3:10-11

Journal: What does it do within you to see pain and anguish as a severe companion, which God uses to make you more like himself?

Reflection: “I am still quite anxious; I still have real attacks of anguish and sleeping is still a real problem. But I am quite, quite aware that this pain is given to me to purify my heart, to deepen my love for Jesus and to give Him every inch of my being. Whereas in the past the anguish seemed quite disruptive and often paralyzing, now I experience it a little more as a severe companion who wants to show me the narrow road. Once I have found that road and walk safely on it, the anguish might leave me, but right now I am trying simply to accept what the Lord gives me and trust that He knows when, how and where to give me new peace and new joy.” ―Love, Henri by Henri Nouwen

Pray

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the severe companion of suffering and anguish; they form and mold me like nothing else can.  Give me the strength and the courage and the grace to be willing to do, or to endure, whatever it takes in order to become more like you.

 

Thursday, February 8, 2024

lent is coming

 




If you are looking for a companion for Lent (for yourself, your family, your friends, your staff, etc.), my Lenten devotional guide Journey to the Cross is available on Amazon.  Spread the word.  This year, Lent begins on February 14 (Ash Wednesday).

Sunday, February 4, 2024

you prepare a table before me

Opening Prayer: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

Scripture: Psalm 23:5-6

Journal: What do these two verses stir up in you today?  How does it make you feel that God has prepared this specific place (day) for you?  How does that impact the way you live it?

Reflection: “I have prepared this table before you in the presence of your enemies.  It is no surprise to me that you find yourself here.  It is as intentional as it is purposeful.  I am doing a beautiful work in you.  I will use it all—even the work of your enemies—to invite you into a more intimate friendship with me.  I anoint your head with oil because you are my dearly loved and greatly honored guest.  I have been saving you a place right beside me all along.  Come to my table, be with me, and enjoy me as I enjoy you.  Come to the place where your cup will always be filled to overflowing with my goodness and my unfailing love.”

Pray

Closing Prayer: “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:5-6, NLT)

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

the illusion of control

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you are in control, and I am not.  Help me to surrender to your will and your way, to your plans and your agendas, rather than clinging to my own.  Empty me of everything that is not you. 

Scripture: Luke 18:22-25

Journal: In what ways do you try to control your life?  What would it look like to operate out of surrender rather than control?  What do you need to be emptied of in order for that to happen?

Reflection: “One thing you still lack.  Sell all that you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)

Control is an illusion.  Which makes it absurd that we spend so much time and energy trying to achieve it or maintain it.  Oh sure, we might think at times when things are going along well that we are steering the car, but nothing could be further from the truth.  We’re merely wearing ourselves out trying to manage, manipulate, and control that which is unmanageable, impervious, and uncontrollable. 

It’s like one of those rides at the amusement park where the car is on rails and the steering wheel is not even connected to anything.  Yet we keep turning the wheel, trying to convince ourselves that our futile efforts are somehow influencing our direction.  Why not just let go and enjoy the ride?  Why fight it?  Why not embrace it?  God is in control, and we are not.  We just need to trust him.      

Following Jesus is about surrender, not control.  And surrender always involves an emptying.  Emptying myself of whatever it is that I may be full of at the moment.  Because when I am too full of me, there is no room for Him.  A cup that’s already full can receive no more; it first must be emptied.  If I am preoccupied with myself, it is impossible to then be occupied by God. 

That’s probably why the rich young ruler walked away sad.  It’s also probably why it’s so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God; they have so much more to let go of.

Pray

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me when my life becomes full of me and leaves no room for you.  Help me, O Lord, to surrender my plans and agendas, my hopes and my dreams, my hurts and my pains, and even my need for control.

 

Saturday, January 27, 2024

storms

Opening Prayer: Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for letting the storms overwhelm me when you have promised to take care of me.  Help me to have a deep trust in your unfailing love.

Scripture: Matthew 14:32-33

Journal: What storms are in your life right now?  How is God asking you to trust him?  How can you not let circumstances get the best of you?

Reflection:

“And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.” (Mt. 14:32)

 
                        storms

at the mercy of the wind and waves
is not how you intended this life to be

circumstances were never meant to dictate

only a deep trust in an unfailing love
can give us a firm place to set our feet
even when everything around us is in chaos

 

“But I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (Ps. 131:2)

“Let actual circumstances be what they may, keep recognizing Jesus, maintain complete reliance on Him.” ~Oswald Chambers

Pray

Closing Prayer: Leave us in awestruck, joyful wonder, Lord Jesus, at the way you work in our lives—even amid the storms.  You alone can turn them from fearful, chaotic places, into sources of life and beauty and amazement.  But, in the meantime, while the storm continues to rage, give us a deep faith in your unfailing love, so that can be certain that you will take care of us as the waves continue to batter and the winds continue to blow.