Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Day 2 Boot Camp

I am up, awake, and ready for this day! What a huge accomplishment! You laugh...I hear my keyboard letters clickity clacking at me as well. But truly what a wonderful feeling to be ready for the day and what ever God has in store.

I have hope! I read yesterday about the story of the prodigal son. It should have been called story of a Father's love. The Father who loved his son enough to let him go, give him what he wanted, even though it was not what he needed. He loved him enough to wait longingly for his return not grudgingly or spitefully. He loved him enough to not only welcome him home, but run to him, meeting him on the road of return, and throw his arms of love around him. How very precious is this final scene when the son who once was lost is found. When the son began to learn how to live loved and love his father in return. One son once lost in his selfishness stands partying with his Dad, now found. The other lost in his duty trying to earn his way to gain ...what? He does not know. He feels cheated, confused, hurt. He does not understand how to live loved by His father even though he has worked for him all his life. Will he be found as well? We are left hanging.

Today I read in Psalms 106 and 107 of people whom sinned and sinned. They cried out to God and time and time again he saved them from their wretchedness.  They swore, they bickered, they cursed, they lied, stole, sacrificed children to grotesque statues, they murdered. They fell into complete darkness by their complete lack of trust in God, complete lack of gratitude towards the loving things God had done for them. They let circumstances get in between reality...the TRUTH, that God loves them and wants what is best for them. They kept trying to find their own way to get things done. They thought they could handle things on their own and time and time again the world almost swallowed them whole, and chewed them alive for a thousand years of agony. Sounds like us today. Yet there is hope. It says That the people were scattered, Those that went into the dessert were broken and cried out to God and he saved them from their distress, Those that turned to the sea, their ships were tossed and turned and they cried out to God and he saved them from their distress. It reads on and on and after each time he saves them the passage reads... So let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love.  The last passage of psalm 107 reads "Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord."


So what about that good son left standing? He too needs God. He too needs to cry out and recognize his need. We are all lost everyone of us. Some of us lost in our work, others in our selfishness, or sin or circumstances. We are all loved so much! The father waits standing by the road for our trek back. He waits for our cry. "Lord we need you. Only you will do. You are my all in all!" Living Loved everyday, what does that look like? If only we truly believed how very wonderfully and beautifully we each are made as his children. How remarkable it would be to live so very loved every day!  Living life for God is lonely, like lifting a mountain never meant to be moved in the first place. Living life with God is the answer. Everyday His way, on his path, guided by His hand in yours and mine, helping us every step of the way.

Psalm 106:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory to his Holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always."

I have hope! Our  Hope is in the Lord for he does rescue his people. He does have a plan, a future, a love that conquers and has given us the Victory in Him!

I pray you also are ready to face this day and every day after with God at your side. We are on the road where he has met us, hand in hand , we go the rest of the distance together. He is taking us back to his house where the fatted calf will be killed and the party will be endless.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Self Discipline



Some things of this world that seem pointless and dull remain the foundation we need long forgotten. Self Discipline is an ancient art form practiced less and less and marveled...I think not!

Here I sit, early morning, on my first day of boot camp. My journey to succeed in having true self discipline. I am no longer going to sit back in my easy chair.  I am no longer satisfied being a spoiled rotten kings kid. Though I am grateful, oh so grateful to always be HIS. I am done throwing myself on the ground, pouting that I don't have the strength to get up. The Truth is I can do all things through Christ Jesus whom give me strength. I have heard Him speak the words like a slap on my back side, " Nora, Get up and stop falling down on purpose."  Can I take back the days I have tossed into the worlds lazy, self indulgent, sleep my life a way pit? Sadly the answer is no. But from this day forward I can choose to acknowledge my place in the race called life. Since I now choose to run instead of walk, I have decided to prepare by stretching, filling with the right nutrient, and proper hydration each morning before I begin my sprint.

5:30 am, my day begins. I begin by dragging my aching back out of bed and showering the sleep away. By 6am I am ready to pray not falling back to sleep talking to myself and my agenda. But rather praying to the Daddy I need advice from, a morning hug from. I read my bible or a devotional to help hear his voice and learn from Him. I pray some more.  I have friends, family, loved ones...myself who all need powerful and effective prayer.  Prayer from a righteous man, the bible says, is powerful and effective. Am I righteous? God only knows! But I will pray any how, with faith, knowing he delights in hearing my voice.

I read once that we need to feed our heart, soul and mind. Now my mind is full of his word and new knowledge and my spirit is brimming with the bread and water that truly sustains me. My heart is beating out these words onto this page. It is fed by sharing His love and what he is doing in me. My heart is filled with joy as I use what makes me happy: writing, to share with you the life I live with my adoring Father, and best friend Jesus.

Here is an exert, I thought life changing, I read in a book called He Loves Me by Wayne Jacobsen: "God is not interested in your sacrifice or your services. He only wants you to know how much you are loved, hoping that you will choose to love him in return. Understand that, and everything else about your life will fall into place; miss that, and nothing else will make a difference."

We are Kings Kids. We are adored with lavished love we choose to ignore. Why?  We suffer from stress and anxiety as we let circumstances crush us, living less loved than we are. We indulge in pleasures that last only a moment knowing it will cause suffering, living less loved. We need to search the heart of our Lord. We need to look up and see him standing there arms open wide. We are dearly loved and cared for. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind and lean not on your own understanding and he will make your path straight.

Praise My God for he has been so good to me!