Be Worthy of Me

Yesterday evening we read and discussed chapter 3 in Sacred Influence, "Be Worthy of Me." I read through the verses that were referenced regarding walking a life that is worthy of the Lord. Oh, how I desire to live toward my children, my husband, and my Lord in a way that is worthy of Him and of them! And oh, how I fail every day!

The verses that especially challenge me are Ephesians 4:1-3. In the version I've been using for my devotional time, it says, "Therefore I, the prisoner united with the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Always be humble, gentle, and patient, bearing with one another in love, and making every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit gives through the binding power of peace" (Complete Jewish Bible).

Humble ... gentle ... patient? I wouldn't really use those words to characterize me yesterday toward my children. "Bearing with one another in love"? Hardly. I was mostly frustrated and impatient. Thankfully, I never totally lost it with them yesterday, but I was certainly close many times.

This is so much more than I can possibly do! I cannot live worthy of Him! At least ... in my own strength I cannot.

But thanks to the Lord, He lives to make intercession for me (Hebrews 7:25)! When I am weak, I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). He is able to keep me from stumbling (Jude 1:24). He works in me both to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)!

Lord, have Your way with me! Work Your character in me. Cultivate the fruit of Your Spirit in me. Renew my mind. Purify my heart. Keep me from going astray. On my own, I am but a foolish, wayward sheep. You protect and keep me. I place myself in Your hands.

Psalm 51 is the prayer of my heart today.

The Proposal

This blog post is an incredible description of the intimacy that Jesus desires and intends to have with us. If you let it, it can transform the way that you pray and worship.

http://tenthavenuenorth.com/blog/2009/06/19/chapter-9-beloved/

Daily Receiving Practice

Here is a guest post by Christina Lovell. She is sharing what God spoke to her through Caron Loveless at a recent women's meeting at The Rock of Roseville. I have been trying this for the past few weeks and it is impacting my perspective already!

"We can not give what we do not have."

In the Old Testament, the first five of the Ten Commandments are about loving God first. The last five are about loving others. In the New Testament, JESUS gave a new commandment, "... that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34, NKJV).

Loving others is how we show that we love God. We are loving God by loving others. Loving Others = Loving God. But it is impossible to do this without receiving HIS love first. As humans our love leaks. Our love is handicapped (due to such things as life wounds, ways we were mistreated, how we were raised, when we were not shown God's love, etc.)

Try this "Daily Receiving Practice" each day to RECEIVE His love for you personally. Out of His love, we can then love others.

Each day, take five minutes to sit in a quiet place. Lie down and close your eyes. (As women, if we sit up and look around, we can get distracted by what needs to be done around us.) Do not worship, try to press in, or pray. Simply say "Lord, You see me here. You love me completely." Breathe His love in, and breathe it out.

Then, throughout the day, look for moments HE will give to extend HIS love to others. At night write down how you loved that day. If there were times you missed it, JESUS replies, you must have forgotten how much I love you! Love better next time.

This has truly changed my life. I sit to receive His love even if I've missed my quiet time before our children get up. I remember one morning. as I sat receiving, I heard our children running toward me. I said, "Lord, here they come!" And HE said, "I will pour my love out on you even if you cannot give Me the five minutes. Because you have chosen the better part, to receive, I will freely give what you need in a moment of time."

Share this practice with your children. Do it together! You will be surprised at the unity and love they will have for their brothers, sisters, and God. Remember, "We love HIM because HE first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Receive His love together and then see how it flows out to one another.

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:12-13).

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love" (John 15:9).

"... the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).

"Let all that you do be done with love" (1Corinthians 16:14).

What Really Matters

Yesterday I had one of those kinds of experiences that makes you reflect on life. I visited a friend who is in prison. It was an intense, emotional time. Today I am in a sort of limbo. Grieving for my friend and the hardship she is going through, and constantly lifting her up in prayer, while trying to resume my normal life.

I don't have major goals for the day. Just caring for my children and my home. It would be easier if I could distract myself with a busy day. I would be able to ignore the ache inside, or at least try to fill it with a new purchase or a fun experience.

But now, sitting outside in the sun, swinging my one-year-old and blowing bubbles with my three-year-old, I feel peace. No, the world isn't fair. Yes, I long for Jesus to return and make things right. My friend is still clinging desperately to God in the midst of trials far greater than I can comprehend. But yesterday I did what mattered. Today I can do the same. In simplicity of this moment, I can love.

Reality Check

While I was in the prayer room this morning, I wrote the following thoughts in my journal and shared them in our meeting afterward. They were encouraging to me and seemingly to others also, so I thought I would post them here as well.

If it takes all of God's power to live this everyday life, then even the very practical, "unspiritual" things I do must be very significant. What I do seems so unimportant on an eternal level. But how does heaven see it? With every load of laundry that I wash and fold, while I see only another shirt or pair of underwear, what do the angels see? If I do it with a resentful attitude, then they see only wood, hay, and stubble. (And who wants to fold that?) But if I humble myself to do the most menial chores as a sacrifice of love for Jesus and my family--even if I am struggling to maintain that attitude (it still counts)--then I am actually handling gold and silver and precious stones (see 1 Corinthians 3:9-13).

Even further, if I see the ones I am serving as who they really are, then I will tremble with awe at the privilege of being allowed to untie the sandals of these precious, glorious, beloved ones (see John 1:27).

Getting Noticed

"But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him." (1 Corinthians 8:3 NKJV).

How can I love You? I really want to be known by You. But knowing more about You doesn't necessarily mean that I love you, for "knowledge puffs up" my ego if it is not grounded in love (8:1). Signs and wonders, prophetic insight, acts of mercy, and martyrdom do not in themselves cause me to be known by You. In fact, without love, they simply cause me to be a noisy irritation, worth nothing and gaining nothing (13:1-3). Though I am often jealous of those who have more prophetic giftings than I, they are not what get me noticed by You. Well then, what will get me noticed?

Love ... true love. (Insert Princess Bride accent here.)

What is true love? 1 Corinthians 13 goes on to explain what love is, so I will look there.

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up ..." (13:4). How can I suffer long with you? Perhaps by patiently receiving whatever You bring my way without complaining. Perhaps by being patient with those You bring into my path. Love for You is expressed by not being envious of what You've given others or boastful of what You've given me. If my love for You is true, it "does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked ..." (13:5). My Beloved, how have I behaved rudely toward You? How have I sought my own? How have I been provoked at You?

"I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!" (Matthew 25:40 NLT).

You love Me by loving My brothers. You hate Me by hating My brothers. When you are patient with one of Mine, you are patient with Me. What you are selfish and rude toward one of them, you are selfish and rude toward Me. It is no understatement to say that every interaction with one of My children is interaction with Me. Your prayers are not the only holy conversations you have. Every conversation is holy because you are having it with one of Mine, which is the same as having it with Me. Do not profane what is holy. Approach each one of My beloved ones as you would approach Me. Would you approach My manifest presence in arrogance or with anger? No, you would approach Me in humility and with an open heart. Do the same with those who are Mine. Begin to see Me in every person, for "this one, s/he is Mine" (Misty Edwards). Whatever you do or say to them, I take very personally. You have dozens of opportunities every day to show kindness to Me. Do not throw them away. For I do not forget the smallest kindness. I will abundantly reward those who love Me in this way, by showing kindness to my brethren. And I will also reward those who show kindness to you, My beloved.

You are so kind, Jesus, so merciful and gentle. I fall so short of loving You truly. Please do in and through me all that You have said, for I really want to be known by You.