Getting in Harmony

How easy it is to get out of tune with God when we neglect to create time for connection and fellowship with him, asking him to conduct the notes that make up the “music” of our day.

I often catch myself jumping so quickly into the immediate demands of the day that I realize halfway through I’ve neglected to attune my heart, mind, and soul to Him. It’s like an off-key song that starts on the wrong note.

When I was young, my aunt told me “people make time for what they love” and I’ve never forgot it. For me, morning prayer and meditation in the word is a love-filled discipline that may only take a moment but has benefits which are immeasurable. Each individual has to find out for themselves what it is that re-tunes their heart and invites God to create a new song for their day. What works for me, may be completely different for you. 

It's okay to start small because God takes even our quietest, shortest little notes of desired fellowship with Him and weaves every one of them into a closer harmony with his purpose for us and fine-tunes us to His plan. And the benefits of those little notes grow and lengthen, becoming a melody to our day, creating a love within us that yearns to sing in His key. 

“Ask God to help you tune your life every day to His Word, so you can bring harmony and joy to those around you.” ~Billy Graham

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” ~Psalm 40:3

Guard Your Words

"I said, 'I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue."

~Psalm 39:1

It's so easy to get ourselves in trouble with our tongues...our texts...our FB posts...our tweets...so many opportunities for error and no one is immune no matter how old you are. We can all benefit from daily prayer asking that we choose words that help and heal instead of hurt and cause misunderstandings. 

The original translation of Psalm 39:1 is David telling the Lord he will "bridle" his tongue, but the meaning is actually more of a "muzzle." His first response was that he was better off just not saying anything, but in the face of evil, he knew that was even worse. So he prayed.

How much better off would our world be if we daily committed to God through prayer: "Use my words for Your purpose." I imagine we wouldn't get to say the things that first come to mind, the vitriolic words that make us feel like we've scored emotional victories and have put people in their places.     

The world needs good words, God-given words, and more of them...but those un-guarded ones? We really can do without them and they come at such a high price.

"Unguarded ways are generally unholy ones."

~Charles Spurgeon

You Should Be Standing on the Rock, not Trying to Carry It - Psalm 19

If you've ever felt weighed down by the word of God, chances are you trying to carry a burden you need to put down. Psalm 19 breathes relief into any misconception of how God's Law affects us for it states:

The Law of the Lord = perfect & "soul-reviving"

Decrees of the Lord = sure & wise

Instructions from the Lord = right & "heart-rejoicing"

Commandment (Code of Law) of the Lord = clear & "eye-opening"

Fear of the Lord = pure & enduring

Ordinances of the Lord (Judgment) = true & right

There should be a spirit of lightness that accosts your senses and guides your steps, not a weight of impossibility that stops you in your tracks. In fact, Psalm 19:10 says these are, "More to be desired than gold, even much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb." What an encouragement for us that we aren't called to be mere "obeyers" but to dearly desire God's word and law as something that will give us a sweetness and fineness that enhances our life.

Psalm 19:12 reads, "Clear me from my hidden faults" ...a valuable prayer asking God to set us back to rights in those times when we are unaware of how we are getting in our own way. When you are tempted to pick up that heavy rock, try standing on it instead.

"God doesn't

want something from us,

He simply wants us."

~CS Lewis

Be a Light Bearer - Turn Darkness into Light!

Our future may seem uncertain, but God is faithful.

"By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

~Hebrews 11:8

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the one who is leading."

~Oswald Chambers

"You, Lord, are my lamp;

the Lord turns my darkness into light."

~Samuel 22:29

"Trust perfected is prayer perfected."

~EM Bounds

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand - shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

~Matthew 5:14-16 (Message)

Psalm 10:1

"Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?"

~Psalm 10:1

No matter how secure a person is in their relationship with God,

these feelings of abandonment easily crowd our minds

when circumstances overwhelm and darken our thoughts.

We hear it said, "You are the one who has moved, not God,"

and it is the act of continuing to focus on feelings

instead of trusting in him that moves us farther away.

When dark clouds block our vision of him,

trust moves us back into our Father's arms.

Really. It is.

This LIttle Light of Mine...

Life's demands can really start to make you feel like your light (read: talents, energy, inspiration, motivation) is lacking. Thank you, Lord, for Psalm 18, which reminds us that we have at our disposal a never-ending source of help!