wondering... why returning to Him... in the evening... is hard...

I confess... in the pursuit of a regular... disciplined... evening offering of time to Him... I've failed...

Now... I knew it would be hard... and I would fail at some point... but it's made me wonder... Why is it so hard...? to return to Him... in the evening...?

Or maybe a better question is... Why has the morning offering... become such a blessing...?

A hymn from Sunday... causes me to ponder this question...

Morning has Broken... its last verse...

Praise with elation, praise every morning,

God's recreation of the new day!

And I see it... each morning... an opportunity to re-create a new day... an opportunity to start fresh...

The blessing of a do-over each day... drives me to sit with Him... seeking... praising...

Approaching Him... each morning with an anticipation... fresh... like coffee... warming up to Him... awakening with Him...

So what... about the evening... is so hard...? What attitude should I take toward Him in the evening...? What desires... do I have... at the end of the day...?

This morning... in the fresh... looking back on the failure... and a lame effort at an offering last evening... I see my greatest desire at the end of the day... is... rest...

Just as He re-creates each new day... resurrects us from sleep... to new life... He also offers rest...

"... Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest. ..." --- Jesus

Matthew 11:28 ESV

To cease from work... and rest in Him... here is the attitude... the stance... the approach... to take toward the evening offering...

Giving Him... each failure... and victory... from the day...

Receiving... forgiveness... and grace...

Recognizing... Him at work... in all of it...

So I might... rest...

Today... my attitude toward the evening offering... will be seeking rest... at the end of the day... even when there may still be work to do...

Lord... help me to develop an attitude... of anticipation... 

for the evening offering... of time to You...

You invite me... to rest... in You... 

and that is what I desire... at the end of each day...

You are... my... Rest...

The prayer... to begin... an evening offering...

Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 116:7 ESV

Related fare:
daily devotions... fresh each day... like coffee...
more early morning thoughts... on daily devotions... and coffee...

fear based joy...

The power of joy I witnessed... came as a response to prayer...

Prayer for joy... and respect for others... a binding up of greed... and pride...

A prayer for a right focus on Him...

And you see... as I prayed... my heart changed too...

The anxiety of watching a son compete... was not present... there was a calm... no real disappointment... with each point lost... or the exuberant pride... at a point won...

There was joy... for me too... no matter the score...

And what I recognized today... found in the treadmill read... the joy experienced... was based on fear... fear-of-the-Lord...

..."fear-of-the-Lord." It is the stock biblical phrase for the way of life that is lived responsively and appropriately before who God is, who he is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

--- Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

A right attitude to His Sovereignty... even on a court... a right attitude toward an opponent... made in His image... one to be respected...

A right attitude toward the potential for spiritual warfare... and His place in overcoming it...

Fear based joy... born of a desire to obey... and glorify Him...

The precepts of the Lord are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever.

Psalm 19:8-9

being diligent...

Words heard on bended knees...  have continued to echo... throughout each day...

Be diligent...  steady... earnest... energetic...

And I begin to notice... each part of the definition... the characteristics... of being diligent... speak to different aspects of my being...

Steady... speaks to my emotional being... not easily disturbed or upset... constant in feeling... principle... purpose... or attachment...

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV

A peaceful countenance...
Steady relationships...
Steadfast feelings for His Way... His purpose... His people...

Circumstances... storms... don't stir up hearts... when He is the foundation...

Earnest... speaks to my mental attitude... a serious and intent mental state... serious... sincere...

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition, and the elemental forces of this world, rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:8 NIV

Pay attention... to what is said... and what I say...
Test everything... against the Word...
Be sincere... not flippant... put aside sarcasm...

Confusion... doubt... easily confronted... when anchored in the hope of Truth...

Energetic... speaks to my physical being... operating with or marked by vigor or effect... marked by energy...

For I can do everything through Christ,

who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

Do not procrastinate... tap into His energy...
Be full of vigor... with each call... no matter how ineffective I feel...
Do everything... to the best of my ability... strive for excellence...

Weakness... that tempts choosing complacency... becomes power... in the sufficiency of His grace...

Be diligent... emotionally... mentally... physically...

Being diligent... an exercise... spiritual discipline... that encompasses my whole being...

don't miss... the way to bear...

This morning... in my reading through... I came to a verse... that strikes close to home...

Foolish children bring grief to their father

and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

Proverbs 17:25 NLT

bitterness... the Hebrew... memer... defined by the Dictionary of Biblical Languages as... bitterness... grief... a mental state of personal anguish or regret... implying annoyance toward someone...

Feelings too close to my heart... for those beloved... on whom I wait...

Here lies the challenge of waiting... on one gone foolish... bearing agony... retaining affection... while bitterness... grief... regret... annoyance... continually rise up from the flesh...!

But I connect the bitterness... of this verse... with the bitter root... in another...

See to it that no one misses the grace of God

and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defy many.

Hebrews 12:15

The answer... the grace of God...

See to it... that... no one... misses the grace of God...

I have to begin with me...!

Remembering all the grace poured out for me... years of foolishness the Father bore... all the while retaining His love for me... never allowing bitterness to take root...

Grace...

Love...

Mercies...

new everyday...

As I hold on to... give thanks for... the grace of God in my life... I feel the root... of bitterness... lose its hold...

Let no one miss the grace of God... 

Stay fully steeped in it...

Amen...

seeing the glass half-empty...

Somewhere in my early teens... I became very critical... not only readily seeing faults around me... but in myself...

I'm quick to note what's wrong... whether I vocalize it or not... and have a knack for imagining the worst case scenario... given any situation...

I'm not sure what lies at the root of this oblique perspective... attitude... and need to seek His insight... and knowledge on this issue... but what has become clear... it's time for it to change...

It is a thought-pattern that continues to recur... one that colors my view of everything... and overshadows... hope... which naturally causes me to lose trust... in God's goodness... if all I see is what's off...

This world is broken... we all fall short of the glory... but to focus on the faults... reveals an expectation... of perfection... here... now... in this realm... which will not happen... until Christ returns...

I should expect things to be wrong... off... and know it's OK... because all this is temporary...

For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18

It takes me back to Dallas Willard's "golden triangle" of spiritual transformation... which includes... these three processes needed... in "putting on" the Lord Jesus Christ... becoming like Him...

• Interaction with God's Spirit in and around us.
• Spiritual disciplines.
• Faithful acceptance of everyday problems.

My emphasis of the third item on the list... is where I continue to struggle... faithful acceptance of everyday problems...

To focus on the negative... omits the possibility... probability... absolute truth... of God's sovereignty... and purpose... in allowing everyday problems... for our good... and His glory...

So the challenge... (which goes hand-in-hand with the previous challenge... receiving whatever presents itself... as a present...)... is to stop... derail... take captive... negative... critical... thoughts... and begin to see the positive... in people... places... things... situations...

A further exercise in influencing... and correcting... strengthening... thought-life...

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

(emphasis mine)

The biblical heart... conveys the idea of our inner being... and consists of... mind + will + emotion... so when we consider what it takes to guard our heart... it begins with how we think... what we let into our minds... expose ourselves to... intentionally and unintentionally... and how we process it emotionally...

The ESV translation... reads... Keep your heart with all vigilance... 

keep... comes from the Hebrew...natsar... meaning... to watch, guard, keep... preserve, guard from dangers...

This is the same word used in Genesis... where God put man in the garden... and told him to work it... and keep it... You see the problems that arise... when one does not keep things well...?

vigilance... seen in the ESV... is the Hebrew... mishmar... defined... place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard post, watch...

A highly attentive word... 

From the heart... mind... will... emotion... spring life... our life... the quality of life... a good reason to keep watch... guard... be attentive... to what goes in... and comes out...

With His help... I'm choosing... to think... differently... 

I want life... abundant... filled with hope... light... not shadows... of darkness...

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1 John 1:5-7

Father God... change my thinking... help me to guard my heart... 

Reveal the root of my critical spirit... and bring healing...

serving on the sly...

As I've tested this concept of... waiting on the Lord... for renewed energy...

...those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength...

Isaiah 40:31 NKJV

I've discovered... another benefit... a change in attitude... when serving others... on the sly... in secret...

Jesus taught...

"...But when you give to the needy, 

do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 

so that your giving may be in secret. ..."

Matthew 6:3 ESV

(my emphasis)

It is a humbling... spiritual discipline... to practice giving in secret... humbling... because you can't tell anyone what you have done...!

Have you ever tried to give... do... serve... in secret... without telling... ANYONE... ?

It's been hard for me in the past... the flesh longs for accolades... NOW... I want to be lifted up... thought well of... patted on the back... for service... to others...

Is it just me...? Or do you struggle too...?

Today... I've noticed an ease... in doing secret service... since recognizing... that I wait upon Him...

The serving I do... is directed by Him... I have been crucified with Christ... and I no longer live... but Christ lives in me... the life I live in the body... I live by faith... so I can't really take credit for what I've done... it wasn't my idea... it was His...

I see this serving in secret differently... as one who serves Him... waiting on Him... it is His work... that He sees... and HE KNOWS... what it is I've done...

And from this knowledge... I experience a joy... a peace... a satisfaction... in serving Him... and totally feel... and understand... the rest of what Jesus said... about secret service...

"...And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Matthew 6:4 ESV

(emphasis mine)

The reward... for now... is an increased intimacy with Him... a new knowledge... of what it means... to... wait upon the Lord... and... freely serve... in love... sharing a secret... with the King...

every one... is... some one...

This week... I sat through the credits at the end of a movie... one of those with an extra scene... you have to stay for...

Sitting in the dark... watching scores of names roll by... seemingly endless... wishing they would go faster... wondering why every one involved... even in the tiniest way... has to have their name listed... because it seems so boring...

It was in that moment... I heard...

They each have a name... 

I thought... Yes... they do...

My mind jumped to His Word... the books that contain lists of names...
Genesis...
Chronicles...
Matthew...
Luke...
(just to name a few...)

These are the sections we skip... (or at least skim really fast...) names we can't pronounce for the most part... names with no story attached... nothing recognizable... to learn from... yet God chose... to list them... include them in the credits...

The truth is... when it comes to names... each one... represents... some one...

Watching the credits... scroll... I thought...
Each one... was named...
Each one... longed for the recognition... to be listed in the credits...

Who would care about these names...?

The ones who named them...

A... mom... or ... dad... would sit... through the list I consider long... boring... with anticipation... excitement... waiting for their child's name to appear... receiving credit... for their part... in the making of a block-buster movie... They might even think... Why aren't the credits at the beginning...? Why did we have to wait to the end...?

But also... the Creator... who knows each one named... 

... for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men...

2Chronicles 6:30 NASB

Who died for each one named...

[God our Savior] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all...

1Timothy 2:4-6 ESV

An unexpected joy... in the dark... an irritation... turned into an invitation... to intercede... for those named on the screen... the ones... loved by Him... some already... brothers... sisters... in Him... others... with potential to be...

EVERY ONE... is... SOME ONE...

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.

2Corinthians 5:16 

In Christ... we should see... every one... through His eyes... with His heart... from a spiritual perspective... and the potential for redemption...

Whether the names appear in movie credits... or Scripture... the flesh is only interested in the important ones... the ones who were someone... the ones whose lives made a difference... but to Him... each name has significance... each known intimately... each one... He longs to save...

We... being transformed into His likeness... should be the same... 

Every one... is ... some one...

who is loved...

and has significance...

to their Creator...

even... you...

and... me...

silencing the cymbal...

Cluttered thoughts... lead to a cluttered heart...

Feeling like a clanging cymbal... as the day begins... love lacking... in action and word...

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,

 but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1Corinthians 13:1 ESV

(my emphasis)

Approaching life with muddled thoughts of grumbling... discontent... self-pity...

Love is patient and kind... 

It does not insist on its own way;

it is not irritable or resentful...

1Corinthians 13:4-5 ESV

(emphasis mine)

Reminders... in my house... set in places... for just such attitudes...

Do everything without grumbling and arguing...

Philippians 2:14 HCSB

Songs memorized... to sing... my heart... back to peace...

[email subscribers click here to view on YouTube or click on post title to view on Jeremiah's Menu]

Fighting to remember...
the Savior...

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

Luke 1:47 NASB

His Love...

Love bears all things, 

believes all things, 

hopes all things, 

endures all things.

1Corinthians 13:7 ESV

His peace...

His peace will guard your hearts and minds

as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7 NLT

His strength...

For I can do everything through Christ,

who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

Die to self...

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live,

but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and

gave Himself up for me. ..."

Galatians 2:20 NASB

And live... in... Him...

battling doubt

The hoped-to-be trip planned! ...but not without struggle... one internal... triggering the external... frustrations revealed through attitude and voice... the inciting emotion... doubt...

Doubt that it would come to pass...
doubt that we would find a place...
doubt that we would both agree...

From the study with sisters... the word made flesh...

For the doubter is like the surging sea,

driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:6

HCSB

The tossing and surging in my soul... heart stirred... doubt driven... a sharp tongue... a negative attitude...

How easily I drown peace and joy with doubt... a struggle to keep trusting... rolling... rolling... rolling...

Thank You, Lord... for Your faithfulness...

even when mine is imperfect...

preparation of the Bride: attitude

A proper attitude prepares the way for marriage...

Attitude... like the attitude of an airplane... determines whether we fly along smoothly... or crash and burn...

Our attitude sets the course for our interactions with others... pleasant or painful... pernicious or peaceful...

The initial step of heart preparation... surrendering to Christ... results in a new creation... this new creation has to learn to live with a new attitude...

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:1-2

(emphasis mine)

  

... hearts and minds set on things above... not on earthly things... a new posture... a new attitude... for a new creation... preparation for a new life... a new beginning...

The attitudes that steer the flesh are to be crucified... new attitudes... those we receive from looking up... spiritual attitudes... are to guide us...

The old ways of the flesh corrupt... the new ways of the Spirit lead to life eternal...

Attitudes... like a wardrobe... are a choice...

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

Believers... the Church... the Bride to be... must dress daily for the wedding... clothed in Christ... because we do not know The Day... EVERYDAY we need to dress in the proper attitude...

Father God... help me to set my heart and mind on things above... maintaining a right attitude... help me to get dressed everyday... preparing for The Day... as I wait for the One who has captured my heart...

What is your attitude these days? Is your focus above... on Christ... or on yourself... earthly things... things that satisfy the flesh?