All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mt. 26:41 AMP)
Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come … Therefore watch (give strict attention, be cautious and alert), for you do not know when the Master is coming—in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning—[Watch, I say] lest He come suddenly and unexpectedly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to everybody: Watch (give strict attention, be cautious, active, and alert)! (Mt. 13:33-37)
It seems like Jesus is talking about staying awake all the time. Yet we are humans with a need to sleep. We can’t actually stay awake to pray 24/7. Even Jesus slept! (See Matt. 8:24.) So how do we know when we are to stay alert and pray, and when to rest?
Perhaps this is primarily a call to be alert in our minds and spirits. That way, asleep or awake, we are tuned in to the Holy Spirit’s promptings, whether they come “in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning.” (Interesting that midday is not included, which can for me be one of my least spiritually alert times.)
This is a reminder to me—for no matter how well I plan my days and nights, it seems that God is constantly throwing a monkey wrench into my plans! I go to bed at what I consider a decent time, and then I am not able to get to sleep for hours. Or I sleep a few short hours and then wake up waaay too early, unable to get back to sleep. (Or sometimes both in one night!) Of course, many things interrupt our days as well!
This afternoon, I realized a simple solution to those times when my plans are interrupted. That is, to ask the Lord, “How do you want me to redeem this time?” (See Eph. 5:15-17.) That way, day or night, I am tuning my heart to the Holy Spirit. Very often those unwanted interruptions are invitations to join Him, for He has better plans for my day/night/life than I have!
Lord, whether I am awake or asleep, keep my spirit alert to You. Help me not to become irritated when You interrupt my schedule. Please keep me from falling asleep spiritually. Heighten my awareness of You so that I am continually beholding You in my heart.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Thoughts on Humility
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isa. 57:15)
My translation: “For this is what I say, I who am exalted on high, lofty and residing perpetually in eternity, I who am holy in reputation, authority, and character: I dwell in the sacred sanctuary on high, near (among) the crushed and contrite, the humble and lowly spirit (life, breath), to restore to life (nourish, recover) the humble (depressed) mind, and to repair (save, preserve) the heart (will, feelings, intellect) of the broken (bruised, contrite, humble, oppressed).”
It seems to me that the sense here is not that God dwells on high and also with the lowly, but that He dwells on high with the lowly. As if “on high” is where the humble also dwell. Those who exalt themselves are actually positioning themselves in the lowest places, while those who are broken and contrite dwell on high with the humble God. Humility is not contrary to exaltation, but is necessary and complementary to it. Pride is what brings one low. Our thinking is all backwards. It is like swinging at the park. If you move your body in the direction you want to go, you will not get anywhere. But if you move your body in the opposite direction, pushing against the swing, you will soar.
Who is like the Lord our God, Who has His seat on high, Who humbles Himself to regard the heavens and the earth! The Lord raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap and the dung hill, that He may seat them with princes, even with the princes of His people. (Ps. 113:5-8)
He humbles Himself to enjoy, experience, and gaze joyfully upon the high and lofty sky and space, and also upon the common earth, the nations and the world. He raises up weak, poor man from the ashes (earth, clay, mud), and lifts the beggar (destitute) out of the rubbish pile. He causes him to dwell among princes as an equal with His free people (flock).
When Jesus humbled Himself to come among us as Man (Phil. 2:5-7), He was not going against His nature. It was the inevitable result of a humble God gazing upon His people with delight. Of course He would come as one of us, for the holy dwells with the humble. They are two sides of the same coin. God-Man is not a contradiction, but a completion of the desire of a God who is meek and lowly of heart (Mt. 11:29) to be one with the bride He has created to be one with Himself.
My translation: “For this is what I say, I who am exalted on high, lofty and residing perpetually in eternity, I who am holy in reputation, authority, and character: I dwell in the sacred sanctuary on high, near (among) the crushed and contrite, the humble and lowly spirit (life, breath), to restore to life (nourish, recover) the humble (depressed) mind, and to repair (save, preserve) the heart (will, feelings, intellect) of the broken (bruised, contrite, humble, oppressed).”
It seems to me that the sense here is not that God dwells on high and also with the lowly, but that He dwells on high with the lowly. As if “on high” is where the humble also dwell. Those who exalt themselves are actually positioning themselves in the lowest places, while those who are broken and contrite dwell on high with the humble God. Humility is not contrary to exaltation, but is necessary and complementary to it. Pride is what brings one low. Our thinking is all backwards. It is like swinging at the park. If you move your body in the direction you want to go, you will not get anywhere. But if you move your body in the opposite direction, pushing against the swing, you will soar.
Who is like the Lord our God, Who has His seat on high, Who humbles Himself to regard the heavens and the earth! The Lord raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap and the dung hill, that He may seat them with princes, even with the princes of His people. (Ps. 113:5-8)
He humbles Himself to enjoy, experience, and gaze joyfully upon the high and lofty sky and space, and also upon the common earth, the nations and the world. He raises up weak, poor man from the ashes (earth, clay, mud), and lifts the beggar (destitute) out of the rubbish pile. He causes him to dwell among princes as an equal with His free people (flock).
When Jesus humbled Himself to come among us as Man (Phil. 2:5-7), He was not going against His nature. It was the inevitable result of a humble God gazing upon His people with delight. Of course He would come as one of us, for the holy dwells with the humble. They are two sides of the same coin. God-Man is not a contradiction, but a completion of the desire of a God who is meek and lowly of heart (Mt. 11:29) to be one with the bride He has created to be one with Himself.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
I Love Fasting!
I love fasting. I don’t think I could have said that a few weeks ago, but recently I started feeling a bit lethargic in my relationship with God. Desire for other things began to creep in to the point that I was unmotivated to spend significant amounts of time with God. So, after posting about it, I immediately started a five-day fast of entertainment and sweets (my pregnancy-style fast). By the end of the five days, my heart was again passionate about my relationship with the One who made me and loves me most. My spirit was reawakened! I am amazed by the grace of fasting. It truly does release God’s power to work in our lives. And it sped up what could have been a long journey through spiritual dryness and neglect.
Thank You, Lord, for giving us something so simple that we can do to reawaken our hearts to You. By fasting, all I did was humble myself before You, admit my need for Your help, and submit myself in obedience to You. And You met me! Spiritual violence isn’t my effort, but Your grace meeting my need. You fought for me as I placed myself in Your hands. I love You, Abba.
Thank You, Lord, for giving us something so simple that we can do to reawaken our hearts to You. By fasting, all I did was humble myself before You, admit my need for Your help, and submit myself in obedience to You. And You met me! Spiritual violence isn’t my effort, but Your grace meeting my need. You fought for me as I placed myself in Your hands. I love You, Abba.
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