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.

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).