Author: astherainandsnow

“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it,  you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there.  And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’  Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.

“And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders.  And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.” Deuteronomy 26:1-11

First of all, bring the first of all. When you enter the land, when you harvest your fruit, put it in a basket and take it to the Lord. Declare His faithfulness. Declare His favor and fulfillment of promise. Declare His presence and blessing and bounty. Moses gives this instruction to tangibly remind Israel who and where they were, and all that God had done for them. ‘Carry this attitude of gratitude and practice of offering into your new land, people, and do not forget it.’

We may not often enter a new physical land, but we can, in the course of our days, come into an inheritance of new work, a new home, a promotion or success, a specific healing, or a repaired relationship. Do these cause only exhilaration, relief, or greedy smugness? Or do we immediately pile the bounty in our hands and offer it up in thanksgiving to the God who enabled its procurement?

Every gift to us is a reminder of God’s goodness and care, and should cause us to make a response to His benevolent initiative by acknowledging His mighty hand and great deeds. What will it take for us to use the start of all our days to set before Him our first and best, to honor His generosity, and to rejoice?

Good Father, you have given so much. I ask one thing more, that my heart would be bountiful toward you in the thanksgiving and praise and sacrifice that you deserve.

“My heart is steadfast, O God!
    I will sing and make melody with all my being!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.“ Psalm 108:1-4

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
    and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
    and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3

The sky was a must-see this morning, thickly-applied clouds that would imminently transform over watercolor grey; within moments, they did. And the birds! Scattered singles, and pairs, a regal vee, graceful murmurations, dipping, swooping, fluttering, all the while chirping in twits, tweets, cheer-ups, swirls of song to greet the new day. Many more I cannot see, yet my spirits are elevated by their rhythmic chatter and melodies, almost expecting to see smiles and lifted throats.

Do I so bring in the morning? What are my first thoughts and sounds upon awakening? Is my heart impulse to praise, to recount my thanksgivings? Do I pepper my words with the joy of song?

Take note of the alternatives. Do responsibilities weigh and goad? Fretting and busyness are detrimental to attitude and agitate relationships. Do plans and schedules hold hostage my attention? Seeking Christ first puts all else in perspective and right priority. Does fear hold me a prisoner? The Lord promises to take care of His own. Do cares and worry claim my emotion? A heart filled with anxiety drowns vitality and eats away at faith, but giving it to God brings His peace. Is my speech riddled with complaining, or irritation, or frustration, at all that is not pleasant or going my way? When the Word dwells there richly, it will spill over in wisdom and song. (Proverbs 12:25; Matthew 6:27,33; 10:29-31; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Whatever takes hold, and comes out, I must think of it as my morning offering to the God who gives the new day. How will I make it a song? I can exchange a personal burden to extolling God’s attribute that meets and overcomes. My dread of inadequacy becomes praise for His sufficiency; my fears, His victories. My needs, His supply; my angst, His calm. My bitterness, His love; my pain, His ultimate healing.

Starting with song graces the day. It fills the mind with lofty thoughts, and sets anticipation for thanksgiving and gladness. It takes focus from me to my Lord, and through His lens, all that concerns. It invites the Spirit to consume wandering affections and direct our plans. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Lord, may I greatly rejoice in You and my soul exult in You. Cause righteousness and praise to sprout up from my heart and mouth each day so Your glory is my tone and best delight. (Isaiah 61:10-11)

“Who shut in the sea with doors
    when it burst out from the womb,
when I made clouds its garment
    and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed limits for it
    and set bars and doors,
and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
    and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place?..
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
and where is the place of darkness,
that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern the paths to its home?” Job 38:8-12,17,19-20

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

“Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
    with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
    his Holy Spirit,
who caused his glorious arm
    to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
    to make for himself an everlasting name?” Isaiah 63:11-12

It is summer’s middle, and the morning is cool, a startling, relished gift for July in the tropics. Rain pours, thunders, drowning a day’s plans, yet its thudding taps are a soothing symphony against the metal roof above. A loved one nears life’s end, sorrow and love mingle and squeeze into inextricable bittersweet peace. Cherished time together delights and refreshes the soul, but we part with its not being enough.

The beautiful tensions in life are proof of a Masterful Creator who’s instilled eternity in the temporal heart, and made temporal flesh for intimacy with the eternal divine. Such are His mysterious ways, such is His gift, to mix joy with longing, to cause us to hunger when sated.

God is a God of ponderable contrasts. He is a Redeemer from of old who makes all things new. He is the light of the world who made darkness, and overcomes it. He who is boundless sets boundaries for the ocean, and day and night. He tries us in fire of affliction to bring purity of character and joy. He was forsaken so we can be forgiven, He died so we can live. (Isaiah 48:10; 63:16; John 1:4-5; 3:16; 8:12; 2 Corinthians 5:15; James 1:2-4; Revelation 21:5)

These beautiful tensions keep us from complacency in living and spiritual lethargy in worship. Will we ever get enough time together? Can the colors of a sunrise or sunset be even richer, the design and hue of flowers be more exquisite? Why does love for a child expand within so much we think we’ll burst? Or the sound and understanding of a new word ignite desire to learn another? How exquisite is the desire of a worshiper to ascribe and exalt, finding only the Spirit can interpret and verbalize that soul’s cry! I imagine heaven is a place where we will be constantly and perfectly satisfied and always wanting more. (Romans 8:23-27)

Great God, cause every confusion and contrast to ignite my worship of You who hold and handle all in glorious perfection.

“Joshua sent two men secretly as spies [to] view… Jericho. They came into the house of a prostitute Rahab and lodged there… Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, ‘Bring out the men,.. for they have come to search out the land.’ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them… she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof…

“Before the men lay down, she… said, ‘I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og… Our hearts melted,.. for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign that you will… deliver our lives from death.’ The men said, ‘Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you…’

“When we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house… all your father’s household… And she said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’ Then they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” Joshua 2:1,3-4,6,8-14,18,21

Faith is indeed a gift from God, and it comes to the most unlikely of persons. The heathen Rahab boldly believed unto life, and a future place in the lineage of Christ. Her faith would become us all in magnifying God’s grace. (Matthew 1:5; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 11:31)

Faith fears Almighty God with reverence and wonder, for it acknowledges His greatness. It hears His works and is stoked to confidence in His plans, and the power to bring them to pass.

Faith sees the Lord as larger and stronger than my sin, the life-giving Redeemer. It holds Him high, the One having sovereign authority, and trusts His mercy and grace. Because of His greatness, any other famous one can be brought to naught. He delivers His own from death and so is worthy of my allegiance. (Psalm 123:1-2)

And faith does God’s ordained works. It ties the scarlet cord in the window, making bold claims on God’s promises. It believes His eternal protection and proclaims its identity as His own.

How can I trust God anew? With what confidence will I act on His behalf, taking risk when faced with opposition for what I know is true and right? With what big situation can I claim His victory, as over Sihon and Og? What am I holding back from casting with my lot upon Him? Do I say ‘I know His deeds, but He will never do that for me’? Or will I humbly, and without hesitation, reckon on His ability and Word?

Father, develop my faith to become You, to trust absolutely and show forth Your great promises and power.

“Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, ‘As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it… Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.’ Joshua said to the priests, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.’ So they took up the ark and went before the people.

“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.”’” Joshua 3:1-8

The Lord was about to do a wondrous work for Joshua and Israel. He had installed Joshua as Moses’ successor, anointed him with His Spirit and distinct promises, and bolstered him with courage and His good commands. He had vowed His presence to guard and guide, the people received him with favor and allegiance, and the spies’ reconnaissance prepared their way to enter the land. And then, when all seemed ready, there was a three-day wait. (Joshua 1:1-9; 2:1,8-11,22-24)

We do not know details about these 72 hours, but can imagine the anticipation, buzz, excitement, restlessness, maybe even gathering fear. Why a delay? What was God doing? Had they heard Him right? Did He mean what He said? Would His promise ever come to pass? We know that Joshua was intent on obedience, and assume this was instructive for him always to give God time and space to do all He intended His way.

How do we react when we have received God’s clear guidance, have in hand His sure promises, consider ourselves armed and ready, and then are put in a position of waiting, with no word when it will be over? While it may be natural to begin to agitate with anxiety and doubt, what is God showing us about ourselves, and Himself? Have we trusted our own sufficiency, and failed to consecrate ourselves to Him for cleansing and readiness? Are we relying on our strength, expertise, and strategy rather than His perfect plan and timing? Have we, even unwittingly, set as a banner our personal order for success instead of God’s presence and truth?

The culmination came in a word to look for and follow the ark, and for the priests to step into the river in faith that God would make His marvelous way. Everything was set to loosen self-trust and bring all glory to God. (Joshua 3:11,14-17)

Lord, loosen my grip to give You time and space to do Your ineffable work, that You alone be praised.

“Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negeb, and… the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. And the Lord said, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, “I will give it to your offspring.” I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.’ So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab… Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated… (There has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face) Deuteronomy 34:1-5,7,10

“On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
    the Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
Glorious things of you are spoken,
    O city of God.” Psalm 87:1-3

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going…  For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God… [Moses] considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible… These, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better.” Hebrews 11:8,10,26-27,39-40a

“The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb… And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” Revelation 21:14,22-23

The description of Moses’ death, at old age and full vigor, gives motivation to keep our eyes clear and focused on the land of our future. This great man of God lived by the unwavering faith of his fathers, settling in and traversing earth’s land, but always with an eye for his heavenly home. Yes, a great part of his life here was spent leading Israel toward Canaan, but those years taught him that this world was not his home, and the city with faith’s foundation, whose architect and builder was God, was his true Promised Land.

What seems to us an aborted dream and grave disappointment for Moses is really an illustration of our glimpse here of heavenly hope. Here we work and strive for better and best, but never is our longing fully satisfied this side of heaven. Now we see dimly, then face to face. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

As we trek the plains of task and travel, will we pause earthly endeavors to climb the slopes of worship, to partake of heavenly vision, to stimulate faith in our unseen God and His promises? How are we building eternal anticipation in our temporal world?

Father, keep my eyes undimmed and my vigor unabated for Thee. Help me live daily in heavenly hope.

“This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death. He said,

‘The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned upon us;
he shone forth from Mount Paran;
he came from the ten thousands of holy ones,
with flaming fire at his right hand.
Yes, he loved his people,
all his holy ones were in his hand…

‘Give to Levi your Thummim,
    and your Urim to your godly one…
They shall teach Jacob your rules
    and Israel your law;
they shall put incense before you
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
Bless, O Lord, his substance,
    and accept the work of his hands…’

Of Benjamin he said,

‘The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety.
The High God surrounds him all day long,
    and dwells between his shoulders.’

Of Joseph he said,

‘Blessed by the Lord be his land,
    with the choicest gifts of heaven above,
    and of the deep that crouches beneath,
with the choicest fruits of the sun
    and the rich yield of the months,
with the finest produce of the ancient mountains
    and the abundance of the everlasting hills,
with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwells in the bush.
May these rest on the head of Joseph…’

Of Zebulun he said,

‘Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and Issachar, in your tents…
draw from the abundance of the seas
    and the hidden treasures of the sand.’

Of Naphtali he said,

‘O Naphtali, sated with favor,
    and full of the blessing of the Lord,
    possess the lake and the south.’

Of Asher he said,

‘Most blessed of sons be Asher…
   as your days, so shall your strength be.’

‘There is none like God, O Jeshurun,
    who rides through the heavens to your help,
    through the skies in his majesty.
The eternal God is your dwelling place,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms…
So Israel lived in safety,..
in a land of grain and wine,
    whose heavens drop down dew.
Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you,
    a people saved by the Lord,
the shield of your help,
    and the sword of your triumph!’” Deuteronomy 33:1-3,8-12,16,18-19,23-24,26-29

The God of all power and splendor loves His people beyond imagining, and blesses us in magnificent ways that fulfill His eternal purpose and glory. The abundance He bestows sates us in indescribable ways. Though His bounty is beyond measure, through Moses He distills it into words that help us grasp just a smidgen, and be filled with thanks.

Work that is meaningful and spiritually effective, His constant presence to protect and comfort, rich provision and the favor of man, treasure in our going out and coming in, abundant strength to match our days, happiness, help, and victory. The matchless God who loves us infinitely gives all good gifts. (James 1:17)

Who is like His people, blessed beyond measure? Why do we clamor for satisfaction elsewhere?

Whom can we bless today? Upon who will we pronounce the benediction of Christ, whom can we bolster with the promises of His Word? Whom will we take the time to look in the eye and tell that they are treasured by their Maker, have great purpose in His kingdom, and can make a difference by His power?

Father, satisfy me daily with Your unfailing love, and cause me to bless others from Your bounty. (Psalm 90:14)

“Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun. And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, ‘Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.’” Deuteronomy 32:44-47

“’And as for me, this is my covenant with them,’ says the Lord: ‘My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,’ says the Lord, ‘from this time forth and forevermore.’” Isaiah 59:21

Imagine Moses, nearing the end of his vigorous life, clear-eyed and -minded. What could he include in the unique baton he would soon pass on to his successor? What was the summary of his providential life’s existence, the history he had implemented, his intimate knowledge of Almighty God, his deliverance and power and deeds? It was His word, spoken face to face, inscribed on stone, heart, and mind. (Deuteronomy 34:7,10-12)

Imagine Joshua, faithful assistant over many miles and long months, approaching the time he would step into the position Moses had carried for decades. He had the model of Moses’s humility, steadfastness, close walk with God, and ongoing communion in prayer. He’d seen skills of delegation and discipline and patience develop, and how Moses remained true to his call when criticized and rejected. Yet, what was the one advice Moses made paramount? Take to heart the word. It is your very life. Above all else, undergirding every plan, guiding every decision, fueling every effort, must be this word. It is not empty, futile, irrelevant, or distant; it is your very life.

What is our legacy? How do we desire and plan to gift those who come behind us? We live and speak example, we provide for practical needs, but how can we pass along very life? Do we love others well, sacrificially and generously as Jesus does? Do we know the Word well enough to speak it in resolving conflict, to call upon it for guidance, to implement it in discipline and admonishment and decisions? How can we instill in others fortitude, encouragement, or wisdom directly from the Bible? When we are immersed in it, and trained by it, God’s truth becomes our natural default, and the drive behind our words to those around us. It fuels what we impart, touching everything we do and say.

“Your testimonies are wonderful;
    therefore my soul keeps them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
    it imparts understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
    because I long for your commandments...

Your promise is well tried,
    and your servant loves it…
Your testimonies are righteous forever;
    give me understanding that I may live.” Psalm 119:129-131,140,144

And so help me pass this along, my Lord and Living Word. Amen.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:21-26

Note that anger and conflict in life are expected. We are sinners all, and will certainly be confronted with ugly behavior and hurt feelings, and even inflict them ourselves. Our Lord knows this, and gives practical advice for our good, that we might further and exemplify His gifts of uprightness and reconciliation.

We often construct fences, attempting to separate ourselves from those whose actions we deplore, barricading ourselves from those who chafe, and holding boundaries against those who do us offense or harm. It is easy to see the other as the culprit and ourselves as victim. But storm clouds of dissension still hover, and weeds of bitterness still pop their ugly heads when we refuse to uncover the roots of harmful interaction. The Lord commands that we get to the cause of conflict, hatred, and sinful responses, and promptly do what we can to correct them.

Procrastination only exacerbates the issues, and risks greater, more destructive fallout. Putting off breeds the ugly spread of wrong thinking: hurt feelings bruise deeply, suspicions grow, judgments harden, and darkness of response and behavior spreads.

We must never put up with sin, but acknowledge and confess it. We must keep short accounts with those with whom we have friction. We must make it a priority to go to our offended or offending brother or sister, and deal truthfully with kindness and compassion. When we make right of our many wrongs, we honor the One who made right for all of our wrongs on the cross. He did not shuffle them underfoot, but bore every one to its full penalty, that we might be freed from the constant eating away of sin and irritation of its tentacles. (Isaiah 53:4-6; Luke 17:3-4; Ephesians 4:32; 1 John 1:9)

What will we do to deconstruct the fences we have built? When one is removed, will we tackle the next? Not until they are gone will we be able to see clearly to enjoy a free flow of love and fellowship. Our goal is that communion be restored, but agreeing to disagree may be the viable and upright solution. There are times that ongoing sin separates as an unavoidable or necessary consequence, but that settlement can still be wrought peaceably and honorably. (Acts 15:36-41)

Lord, guard me from stewing in any sin that perpetuates its growth. Help me settle quickly with You and others to the glory of Your gospel.

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:11-20

I can’t. It’s too hard. That’s impossible. These may be reasons we whine regarding God’s precepts, but they are no excuse. Not only is God’s word available and full of encouragement, but God’s regenerating and enervating Spirit who dwells within gives desire and strength to follow. (Psalm 19:7-11; John 14:16-17)

Every day we set priorities and make choices. Our loves and our beliefs dictate both. If we want above all else to get ahead in life, to succeed materially, to be recognized or amass likes or get applauded, our energy will be spent in specific directions. We’ll set our course and run, disregarding anyone and anything that hinders our achieving those goals.

But if the Lord has instilled spiritual hunger for Him, His kingdom and word and righteousness, we will choose to seek first those things, and tailor our days to do so. We will deliberately set our minds on things above and take delight in His truth. We will commune with Him and bring every decision to prayer and under the scope of the Word. (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1-2)

What excuses do we make that are really veiled admissions of spiritual apathy, sloth, or prurient desires? In what areas are we given to wayward affections that trump righteous desire, and what will we do to reverse that? How can we soak anew in the powerful and good word of God so our minds are renewed and appetites transformed? (Romans 12:1-2)

Oh Father, help me seize Your possible, determined to keep Your word and so bring You the honor You deserve.