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MEDITATION:

Today’s meditation is from the “Our Daily Bread Mountain Life” devotional.

The privilege of worship includes beholding the beauty of God. Have you ever wondered why there is so much beauty in the world in the first place? There is simply no way that this beauty we enjoy came about by accident. It is also not an accident that we all enjoy beauty so much. We are all drawn to beauty for a reason – God designed us to be drawn to beauty! This is why, when we see something or someone we deem beautiful, it is very hard not to stop and look. One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the ability He gives us to take in the beauty of the world.

During this pandemic, my wife and I have been watching a series on Netflix called, “Our Planet”. This series reveals some very profound nature and animal scenes that have brought great joy to our hearts. Though the narrative does not give God glory for His creation (huge mistake – see Psalm 19:1), we are happy to do so as we watch it! Our love for God has grown in the ongoing realization that He has made all things for us to enjoy. Now, what many of us fail to realize is that behind the beauty of the world is our beautiful God. He designed creation to be an expression of His artistic character. The beauty of God resides in His splendor, majesty, brightness, holiness, glory, goodness, loving kindness and greatness. These descriptive words help us realize that when the eyes of our hearts begin to look at God our souls will delight in Who He Is, even as we are ever amazed that He welcomes us to come to Him. So as we worship God what we need to be looking for, with the help of His Spirit, is His beauty. When we even begin to catch a glimpse of it, our hearts will leap for joy, and our desire to spend more time with Him will certainly grow!

PRAYER:

Written by Dan George (1899-1981), chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. He was also an actor, musician, poet, and author.

We bless you, Lord,

For the beauty of the trees,

the softness of the air,

the fragrance of the grass.

We bless you Lord,

For the soaring of the skies,

the rhythms of the earth,

the stillness of the night.

We bless you, Lord,

For the twinkling of the stars,

the freshness of the morning,

the dewdrops on the flower.

We bless you, Lord,

For the taste of good food,

the trail of the sun,

and the life that never goes away.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Dallas Willard  (1935-2013), an American philosopher and writer on Christian spiritual formation.  This is an excerpt from his work “The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives.”

Practice in not speaking can at least give us enough control over what we sat that our tongues do not “go off” automatically. This discipline provides us with a certain inner distance that gives us time to consider our words fully and the presence of mind to control what we say and when we say it.

Such practice also helps us to listen and to observe, to pay attention to people. How rarely are we ever truly listened to, and how deep is our need to be heard. I wonder how much wrath in human life is a result of not being heard. James says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (1:19). Yet when the tongue is moving rapidly, it seems wrath will usually be found following it. God gave us two ears and one mouth, it’s been said, so that we might listen twice as much as we talk, but even that proportion is far too high on the side of talking.

PRAYER:

Written by Melissa Spoelstra, a contemporary Christian author.

Dear Lord, I want to learn to listen more than I speak. Show me how to interact with others in a way that helps them dig deep to find wisdom. Reveal to me when I am talking too much and need to ask questions instead. I’m grateful that I can bring all my questions to You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by James Banks, a contemporary Christian pastor and author about prayer.

Sometimes I feel as if I’m invisible. But I so want God to use me. Ann was tidying up the exercise room at the hotel I was visiting when we struck up a conversation. As we talked, I discovered she had an amazing story. “I used to be a crack addict and prostitute living on the streets,” she said. “But I knew God wanted me to put down my pipe and walk with Him. One day years ago I knelt at Jesus’ feet and He set me free.”  I thanked Ann for sharing what God had done for her and assured her she wasn’t invisible—He had used her in our conversation in a beautiful way to remind me of His power to transform lives.

God loves to use people others might overlook. The apostle Andrew isn’t as well known as his brother Peter, but the Bible recounts that “the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon (Peter) and tell him, “We have found the Messiah’…And he brought him to Jesus.”  Peter met Jesus through Andrew. When Andrew, one of John the Baptists’s disciples, learned about Jesus from John, he followed Jesus and believed—and immediately told his brother. Andrew’s quiet faithfulness had an impact that would shake the world. God values faithful service over fame. He can use us powerfully wherever we are—even when no one is looking.

PRAYER:

Written by Maano Pohamba, a contemporary author.

Oh Lord, give me a mind and a heart like the Father’s heart. Let me be able to know what God thinks and feels towards His people so that I may be able to represent Him correctly. Give me a heart that wants to serve others. Let me be sensitive to the needs of those around me, that I may offer help where I can.

Use me for your glory, Lord. Use me to build up your Church. Let the world see You in me, my God. Your word tells me that I am a member of the body of Christ.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Christopher D. Hudson, a contemporary writer and teacher. This is an excerpt from his book “Following Jesus.”

Most people use the word hope as a synonym for wish. They say things like, “I know we’re down by forty-five points, but I sure hope our team can pull off a win!” or “I hope one day someone actually finds Sasquatch out in the Pacific Northwest.”  This is a far cry from the hope the prophets and apostles wrote about. Biblical hope isn’t crossing your fingers and engaging in wistful daydreaming about outcomes that are highly unlikely. Biblical hope is confident expectation. Hope involves waiting. In fact, the Old Testament word for hope is also often translated as wait. And this waiting involves the settled assurance that the thing being waited for is just around the bend. What’s the real hope for Christians? That Christ our Lord is coming back to make the world right. Things may seem hopeless. They’re not. Our God is “the God of hope.”

PRAYER:

A prayer of Paul the Apostle from Ephesians 1:17-19.

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Joan Puls, a contemporary author.  This is an excerpt from her book “Every Bush is Burning.”

True freedom, as true love, rids us of fear. In the economics of the kingdom, faith is sufficient. Faith the size of a mustard seed. The faith that is confident assurance concerning things we hope for and conviction about things we do not see. The faith that recognized the nobility of the poor and the beauty of the arthritic. In the spirit of such faith, one comes to a certain self-possession. And it is security and currency enough for life’s transactions. If we possess ourselves, in truth and in humility, we need not fear what might be taken from us. For all else is bonus and non-essential. Anyone who has been given the kingdom need not fear the loss of lesser goods and more tangible riches.

PRAYER:

Written by Megan Bailey, a contemporary author and content producer.

Father, I am grateful for Your gracious offer to give me a new heart, one that loves You, one that is tender and responsive to Your voice and one that reflects Your love back to everyone in my life, friend and foe alike. How can I access this heart? Through faith – just the same way I received my salvation in the first place. So in faith, I take You at Your word. I receive today a new heart and a new spirit. I will walk with this new heart and care for this new spirit by my commitment to Your Word and by seeking Your face through prayer and worship. Praise You! I receive a new ME! Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Matthew Dickerson, a contemporary Christian author and professor of Computer Science at Middlebury College in Vermont. This is an excerpt from a devotional he wrote for the Fuller DePree Center  “Life for Leaders.”

It’s easy to ridicule those who have a different religious, moral, or even political viewpoint than we have, using derogatory or dismissive terms for those we disagree with. In doing so, we build barriers that may prevent people from hearing the Gospel. Perhaps instead we should follow Paul’s example: trying to understand those around us who do not hold the same views we have, and looking for evidence of spiritual hunger, wisdom, and God’s ongoing revelation. Paul’s sermon at the Areopagus to the people of Athens is a watershed moment in Christian history. It’s the first time we read of Paul preaching in a public non-Jewish setting…Paul, in this message, starts by affirming them, noting how they are “very religious.” It would have been tempting for a devout Jew like Paul to see only the false beliefs of their pagan religions and to dismiss everything the Athenians believed—perhaps with a tone of ridicule or disdain… Paul does not begin his message by telling the people of Athens how awful they are, or how terrible their culture is, or even how wrong they are…Instead, he finds something about the Athenian culture he can affirm: a glimmer of wisdom and truth even in a false belief system…Rather than building more barriers through antagonistic language, Paul seeks to break down barriers and open doors of understanding…It’s easy for Christians to look at our culture and ridicule those who don’t hold our worldview—who have a different religious, moral, or even political viewpoint. It’s common in our culture to use derogatory or belittling terms to describe those we disagree with. Sadly, even those who seek to serve Christ can fall into this behavior. When we do so, however, we build more barriers that make it harder to have real communication and understanding; such language and dismissiveness may hinder people from hearing the very Gospel we want them to hear. Perhaps instead we should follow Paul’s example: trying to understand those around us who do not hold the same views we have—looking for and affirming evidence of spiritual hunger, and even a type of wisdom.

PRAYER:

Written by Matthew Dickerson, the author of today’s meditation.

Thank you, Lord, for how you revealed truth about yourself to the people of Athens even through their pagan myths, helping to prepare their hearts for the true Gospel that would be preached to them by Paul. Thank you for Paul’s gentleness in preaching the good news of Jesus in a secular setting, and for his example of getting to know something about the secular culture to which he was bearing witness of the truth. Help me to learn from Paul’s example. Give me a deeper understanding of those around me that will enable me to build bridges rather than walls. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by James I. Packer (1926-2020), an English-born Canadian evangelical theologian, cleric and writer. This is an excerpt from his book “Knowing God.”

We are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.

PRAYER:

Written by Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), an English Baptist preacher, known as the “Prince of Preachers.”

Oh! dear Savior, we come to You and we remember what our state is, and the condition we are in encourages us to come to You  now as beggars, as dependents upon Your heavenly charity. You are a Savior and as such Your are on the outlook for those that need saving, and here we are, here we come. We are the men and women You are looking for, needing a Savior.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Craig Denison, a contemporary Christian author and speaker. This is an excerpt from his daily devotional “First 15.”

Not only do unity and harmony provide a better life for all involved, but they also glorify Jesus.  When we love each other well and offer grace and forgiveness, we demonstrate Christ’s power to change hearts to the world. When we live in harmony together, we worship with our lives in one beautiful, unified voice. The power of the gospel is that God will always love us in our pride and transgressions, but he doesn’t intend to leave us there. God works in the hearts of his people, knitting them together in harmony like a beautiful tapestry of transformed lives. You and I are written into the pages of God’s beautiful narrative. We have an important place in his eternal story of redemption. Spend time in God’s presence today allowing him to fill you with the desire and ability to pursue harmony with others. Pursue unity with the people God’s placed in your life. And experience transformation in your relationships as God works through you to produce unity and joy.

PRAYER:

Written by Emilie Griffin, a contemporary American author who writes about religious experience and spiritual life.

Dear God, help me to know that I am your child. Teach me to weigh the meaning of this title “Children of God.” Show me the power of your purifying love, and make me patient for my own transformation. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Rick Warren, a contemporary pastor, evangelist, author, and speaker.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself. You can be confident and humble at the same time! Humility is thinking of yourself less. When you stay focused on God and helping other people, you naturally think about yourself less. That’s not an easy way to live. Why would anybody choose to think of others more than they think of themselves? Because God makes many promises in the Bible for Christians who will humble themselves. Humility is a big deal to God. Here are four things God will do in your life when you work on being humble. 1. If you’re humble, God will guide you.If you don’t know which way to turn—whether to get in or get out, hold on or let go—then get humble. When you humble yourself, God will make your next step clear. You’ll make fewer mistakes in life! “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Psalm 25:9). 2. If you’re humble, God will bless you. These promises are all through Scripture, like Isaiah 66:2: “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts”. God doesn’t bless egotistic or prideful people or those who secretly think they’re better than everybody else. He blesses the humble. 3). If you’re humble, God will give you the power to change. The power to change is called grace. Maybe there are things in your life you’d like to change. Perhaps you’ve tried to change, but you can’t or you won’t. You need grace! How do you get God’s grace and the power to change? “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Every time you’re prideful, you’re on the opposite side of God—and you don’t want to be there. The humbler you are, the more grace God gives you. 4) If you’re humble, God will reduce your stress. If you’re prideful, your stress is going to go up. Instead, listen to Jesus: “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).  When you’re tapped out and feel like you have nothing left to give, surrender to Jesus. Spend time in the Bible, learning how to choose gentleness and humility by his example. Pray, and ask him for the grace to change. Then you’ll find the rest your soul has been craving.

PRAYER:

Written by Kevin Halloran, a contemporary pastor and writer.

 Merciful Father, In my battle against pride, keep me from a false humility that fails to recognize Your gracious gifts. Rather, help me steward what you have given me as a faithful servant—a servant ready to wear the garment of humility and serve you in whatever way would most help Your Kingdom and bring praise to Your Name. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Brian Doyle (1956-2017), an author, editor, and contributor to “Guideposts.”

A haunted day, September 11, here in the States that are still United in the wild idea that interdependence is possible and glorious. A shivering day. It always will be. I pray it never becomes a mere anniversary, an event only to remember murder and terror and fire and fear—or even worse, a day only to celebrate vengeance. No, I pray it becomes a day to remember courage and grace and love. I pray that will someday be the story of September 11.

To remember right is to pray right, says my dad, and he knows about murderous souls; he fought against Hitler. He says to remember the roaring courage of the people who rushed to help, and the people who helped others out of the fire and ash, and the people who used their last minutes on earth to call their families and say “I love you. I love you. I will love you forever,” is to pray for them and us and even for the poor silly murderers, themselves just lanky, frightened boys, in the end, bloody boys terrified of a free world. He says to remember the firemen who ran up, knowing they would never come down, the passengers storming the cockpit, the sergeant who ran out of the Pentagon to catch women leaping from high windows is the way to erase the name of the chief murderer. He says that if we remember right, if we pray with our hearts in our mouths, maybe someday no one will remember the architect of ruin, but everyone will remember a day when the courage and mercy and glory of human beings rose to such a tide that no one will ever forget. That could happen, says my dad, and who will gain says my dad? Not I.

PRAYER:

Written by Brian Doyle, author of today’s meditation.

Dear Lord, for the murdered, our prayers. For the murderers, our prayers. For us, frightened and muddled, prayers. For the courage to remember right, to witness and sing grace under duress, to someday find the country of forgiveness, prayers. Amen.

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