When circumstances threaten to swallow us up with despair, will we be pulled under, or rise above? The answer lies largely in how we’ve been training. It’s the training in peacetime that prepares a soldier for when the battle rages. Does he stand in the front lines of combat without knowing how to use his weapons? Of course not! Why should we expect to be strong and prepared spiritually, if we haven’t been devoting time to “training”? Ephesians 6:12 gives us the crucial reminder that the “fight” we’re in is not person against person, but spiritual. Life is a spiritual…
In a Reader’s Digest article recapping interviews of couples married 40, 50, or even 60 years, all said similarly that despite their shared history together, they were still changing, growing, and learning new things about each other. A big factor to their marriages’ longevity was developing good communication skills. Most happily married couples will tell you that they have learned to listen to their spouse—(not “agree” but “listen.”) Relationship is not a one-way monologue, but an ongoing shared dialogue. What about our relationship with the Creator of the universe? Learning to know Him and listening to hear His voice…
Prepare with prayer . . . Though not a scriptural directive, this is one of my favorite expressions. Simple yet powerful. While many people turn to God only after all else fails, committing things in our lives to Him through prayer before they occur is powerful. Why? Because prayer turns our hearts to God, putting us in close communion with Him. It acknowledges His power, His ability to work in situations that are beyond our control. Doing so also affirms our humility toward God, which He rewards richly with His grace. “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the…
This morning while reading a section on humility in The Imitation of Christ, an interesting question came to mind: If Jesus was physically here on earth today, would He be on Facebook? If so, would a typical post look like this? Jesus Christ Great day sharing a lunch with 5,000 people at Bethsaida. Would the Son of God have His phone in hand taking a selfie while walking across the water—to later post it on social media? Somehow I have a hard time picturing Jesus doing either of these things. Why? Because the life of Christ supremely embodied humility. His words and…
December brought record-breaking warm temperatures throughout the northeast, with Christmas Eve hitting a balmy 70 degrees in northern New York. Because of this trend, a number of mornings we woke to a heavy fog covering the earth. Motorists were cautioned to drive with care because of limited visibility. Isn’t our journey through life like travelling through fog? We make our plans, envisioning results to unfold a certain way as we strain to peek ahead, anticipating what may or may not be around the next corner. Then sometimes, life throws the unforeseen curve ball at us, and we end up travelling…
