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MEDITATION:

Written by David Reay, a contemporary Anglican minister and writer.

We live in an information-saturated age. We can discover much about everything but yet that doesn’t mean all that information grants us true knowledge. Some of that information may be false or irrelevant. Mere accumulation of information does not necessarily make us knowledgeable. And mere accumulation of knowledge will not grant us wisdom. Knowledge is a true and balanced grasp of the facts. Wisdom is knowing what to do with those facts. Someone might share a problem with me which gives me information. Through discussion about the problem, I gain more knowledge of it. But I need wisdom to know how to respond, how to apply that knowledge I have gained. Wisdom is about discerning what to do with what we know. In biblical terms, it is to do with putting biblical principles into practice. God will give me this wisdom, but only if I am prepared to act on it. If I am not convinced his wise way is the best, then he will not give me wisdom. He wants some assurance I will follow it. In times of trial, we should pray for wisdom, but with a conviction that when it comes, we will embrace it. Being knowledgeable can be a blessing but being wise is the greater blessing. Knowledge may help you make a living. Wisdom helps you make a life.

PRAYER:

Written by Dan Britton, a contemporary athlete and author.

Father, I ask for wisdom, discernment, and understating. Help me to realize that all things come from You alone. You are so good, generous, and gracious. When the opposition comes, help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. Give me God-sized courage to obey. Finally, I will celebrate the outcome – no matter what. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by John Ackerman, a contemporary pastor, spiritual director, and author. This is an excerpt from his book “Spiritual Awakening.”

God is the one who teaches to listen and to pray. We must pray for the gift and pray for the gift to be taught. They say that mature writers have “found their voice.” I think we need to “find our ear” – our best way of recognizing God’s voice, knowing that, once we have found our ear, God may decide to speak in a different language. Some people simply cannot listen to God in scripture. Some find God most readily in music or in the outdoors. Contemplation in the Jesuit understanding is paying attention to the reality of God, whether God be in scripture, music, the other person, or in nature. Whenever we get beyond our own small preoccupations, whenever we have some degree of self-transcendence, whenever we are aware of the reality of God, contemplation has begun. If you are absolutely unable to find God in your Bible, go outside, listen to music, do whatever you do that puts you in touch with Something More.

PRAYER:

This prayer if from the “Carmina Gadelica,” six volumes of prayers, hymns, blessings, songs, proverbs and literary folkloric poems from the Gaelic speaking regions of Scotland.  Compilation of the works began by Alexander Carmichel between 1860 and 1909.

Each thing mine eye sees;

Bless to me, O God,

Each sound mine ear hears;

Bless to me, O God,

Each odor that goes to my nostrils

Bless to me, O God,

Each taste that goes to my lips;

Each note that goes to my song,

Each ray that guides my way,

Each thing that I pursue.

Each lure that tempts my will,

The zeal that seeks my living soul.

The Three that seek my heart.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Elizabeth J. Canham, a pastor, author, and teacher of spiritual formation. This is an excerpt from her book “Heart Whispers: Benedictine Wisdom for Today.”

Benedict chose to simplify his life in order to be more available to God, to listen, and to learn the way of Truth. Others with a similar yearning soon joined him, and guidelines for their life together became necessary; hence the Rule, for simplicity is not easy. There is a risk involved in refusing to live by cultural norms, as well as struggle in trusting God for daily needs. Most of us will not be called to monastic life; our challenge is to find ways to let go intentionally of our dependency on things, status, and expectations. Only then can we make space for God’s word.

PRAYER:

Written by Lesli White, a contemporary Christian author.

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don’t need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Jeannette A. Bakke, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from her book “Holy Invitations.”

Willingness is the opposite of willfulness, being full of our own will and ways and the satisfaction in being self-made or self-controlled persons. Willingness to be aware and willingness, in general, are prerequisites for spiritual direction. Willingness is a chosen position of vulnerability that recognizes we are ordinary beings in need of God’s love, companionship, and guidance. It includes our acknowledgment that we are not all we would like to be or all that God hopes for us and points toward our desire to hear and follow the Spirit’s invitations even when it means giving up our ways in favor of what we perceive as God’s ways. When we are even a little bit honest, we recognize that our measure of willingness varies depending on what is being asked of us and by whom. Some of God’s opportunities seem to offer pleasurable outcomes. Surrender to these requests is easy. But there are times when the Spirit invites or simply takes us into unfamiliar territory either inwardly or outwardly. Then we may feel decidedly uneasy about following. God’s love and intentions are larger and farther reaching than we realized. They extend beyond the kind of people we are used to and the kinds of problems, possibilities, and joys that are familiar to us.

PRAYER:

Written by Paige Deane, a contemporary author.

Lord, you are all-knowing and full of wisdom. Your plan is masterful. Help me as your disciple to follow you in every thought, word, and deed. Give me a heart of obedience and trust that I would not get wrapped up in my doubt or what I think is the right choice. Help me to recognize that your good and perfect will does not always look the way I think it should, but that doesn’t make it any less good or any less perfect. I desire to be your disciple and follow you all the days of my life. Please give me the strength to do that. Amen.Lord, you are all-knowing and full of wisdom. Your plan is masterful. Help me as your disciple to follow you in every thought, word, and deed. Give me a heart of obedience and trust that I would not get wrapped up in my doubt or what I think is the right choice. Help me to recognize that your good and perfect will does not always look the way I think it should, but that doesn’t make it any less good or any less perfect. I desire to be your disciple and follow you all the days of my life. Please give me the strength to do that. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Greg Laurie, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker.

God calls himself a “jealous God.” But does that mean He’s insecure and is therefore jealous? We tend to always think of jealousy in a negative sense. After all, it was Shakespeare who referred to it as “the green-eyed monster.” We envision a jealous person as someone who may fly into a rage for the slightest reason. But when God says He’s a jealous God, He means it in a different way. Imagine if a wife said to her husband, “Honey, I love you so much. And by the way, I’m going on a date tonight. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye. Love you!” No clear-thinking husband would go along with that plan. But we’ll say, “Oh, Lord, I love you so much,” and we’ll effectively have another god in our lives. The Bible says, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21 NKJV). And having another god is easier than we may think. A lot of things can become idols in our lives. A vehicle or a house can become an idol. So can a career. Even a ministry can become an idol. Other people can become idols in our lives. When we take our eyes off the Lord and become more passionate about a hobby or some other thing we do for fun, that can become an idol as well. When the Bible says that God is a jealous God, it means that He oversees your life. You are not in charge of it. God cares about you. He’s a Father who sees the potential of His children, a father who is brokenhearted when that potential isn’t realized, or worse yet, when we waste our lives. God is a Father who loves us and wants the very best for us. And He doesn’t want to share us with anyone or anything else.

PRAYER:

Written by Kevin Halloran, a contemporary pastor and author.

Lord, You know that even on my best days I sin against You. From my disappointment, fix the eyes of my heart continually on the grace You poured out on the cross. May that cross take away all shame and free me to worship You by drawing near in joyful repentance and fully hoping in the beautiful restoration You bring in Christ. More than anything, bind my wandering heart to You in joyful worship, knowing that for this reason I was created. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by John Ortberg, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker.

When a new object or stimulus is introduced to our environment, we are intensely aware of it, but the awareness fades over time. So, for instance, when we first begin to wear a new wristwatch, we feel it on our wrist constantly, but after a while, we don’t even notice that it’s there. When people move into a new home, they generally have a list of things they must repair or remodel because the sight of them is intolerable. Five years later, they may still have the same list, but the lack of repair doesn’t bother them anymore. One of the greatest challenges in life is fighting what might be called spiritual habituation. We simply drift into acceptance of life in spiritual maintenance mode. We rationalize it because we think, “I’m not involved in major scandalous sin. I haven’t done anything to jeopardize getting into heaven. I’m doing okay.” And we forget that Jesus never said, “I have come that you might do okay.” Okay is not okay. We have a kind of spiritual attention deficit disorder that God will have to break through. When life is on spiritual autopilot, rivers of living water do not flow through it with energy and joy. Instead, it looks like this: I yell at my children, I worry too much about money or my job, I get jealous of people more successful or attractive than I, I use deception to get out of trouble, I pass judgment on people, often when I am secretly jealous of them. Spiritual habituation is in some ways more dangerous than spiritual depravity because it can be so subtle, so gradual. Mostly it involves a failure to see. We are drawn to children and saints and poets because they noticethings that the rest of us have forgotten to see. “I hold this against you,” Jesus said to the church at Ephesus. “You have forsaken your first love.” In Genesis 28, God sent Jacob a dream at Bethel. So why doesn’t he send us all dreams every night? Why doesn’t he make every day a rainbow day and send epiphanies twenty-four-seven? Maybe it’s because God wants us to learn to see him in the ordinary rather than be dependent on the extraordinary. Maybe it’s because if God regularly satisfied our demand for special effects it would be like a mother who inadvertently trains her children to pay attention only when she raises her voice. Maybe the reason God lowers his voice is so we will learn to pay attention. Maybe ordinary days aren’t “ordinary” at all, but part of the required course to develop wonder-filled eyes and praise-fluent tongues. Perhaps our capacity to pay attention to God — like the capacity to lift weights or speak Spanish — only gets stronger when it gets exercised. Walk through yesterday in your mind with God, asking where he was present and at work in each scene. Start with the moment when you woke up … what were your first thoughts? Then go on from one scene to the next through your day. What patterns are emerging? Look and listen to see how God is speaking to you through these daily scenes.

PRAYER:

Written by Mary Southerland, a contemporary nun and author.

Father, I praise You today for all that You have done in my life. You are faithful even when I am faithless. Your love pursues me even when I am unlovable. Your forgiveness covers my sin and frees me from its penalty. I praise You for your love and faithfulness to me. Your presence in my life changes everything, empowering me to live each moment of every day, content in knowing You are in control. As I face today, Lord, remind me that no matter what happens, I can praise You! In Your Name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Paul Estabrooks, a contemporary pastor and foreign missionary with a concern for Christians in restricted countries. This is an excerpt from his book “Standing Strong Through the Storm.”

Evangelism is an important function of the church everywhere. But in communist Vietnam, followers of Christ cannot openly share their faith. Those who do are often threatened or imprisoned. In response, Open Doors developed several programs to help. One was a women’s discipleship program based on one-on-one relationships. It is called Priscilla Training. A Vietnamese woman named Han says, “When I was young I went to church. We were a godly family. But I found the church very dull, very boring. The Bible did not speak to me. I knew some of the stories. And I listened to our pastor each week. “One night when we were all asleep the police came and took our pastor away. They think if they take him away the church will die. They want all churches to die. They kept him in prison for five years. It’s natural this happens. I live in a communist country. “When the communists tried to kill my church, it challenged my heart. I knew I had to be strong. Before, I was just a church member. Now I have to become a serious follower of Jesus. “I started reading my Bible every day, and it became fresh to me. It spoke to my heart. It was very, very good feeling, and I liked it. It was good for my life. I wanted others to have God in their lives too. “Attending a secret house church is a risk. But it is a greater risk going to a training class. And I decided to take that risk. I went far away to receive Priscilla Bible and leadership training. I felt God calling me to be in ministry. I want to teach other women what I have learned. My first disciple was named Tuyen.” Tuyen says, “My friend introduced me to a godly lady. Her name is Han. She taught me how to study better, know God better, and be a true disciple of Jesus. I reach out to people and tell them all the good news I have in my heart, and the good hope I have in me today. “A neighbor told me that a lady, a new follower of Jesus, wants to learn more about him. She will be my first disciple. I will teach her what I’ve learned from Han.” God has equipped thousands of women through the Priscilla Training in Vietnam and all members of the church are thus able to help fulfill the function of evangelism. In June 2011, Vietnam’s Evangelical Church celebrated its centenary. The government allowed the missionaries to Vietnam (who were still living and able to travel) to return for the celebrations. When they left in 1975, there were estimated to be 160,000 evangelical Christians in the country. In 2011 they found the church had grown to over 1.4 million. That’s nearly 900 per cent growth! During the centenary celebrations, Open Doors was officially given an award from the leaders of the Evangelical Church for help in training given through the difficult years.

PRAYER:

Written by Crystal Ayres, a contemporary author and editor-in-chief of ConnectUS.

Lord of Power, I thank You for the fact that in Christ, I am united to millions of brothers and sisters around the world. Lord, many of them are not free to follow You. I ask that You grant them the strength to stand up and be counted for You in the face of opposition. As the Lord Jesus made the good confession before Pilate, empower them to make a good confession for You. May they hold fast to the hope of reward on judgment day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Os Hillman, a contemporary speaker, author, and consultant on the subject of faith at work.

The prophet Isaiah describes his relationship to God as a relationship that has two-way communication. Have you ever felt that your communication with God was only one way – you to Him only? Isaiah tells us, “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary…. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back” (Isaiah 50:4-5). The key to Isaiah’s relationship with God lies in four important principles: 1) He had an instructed tongue. Isaiah had given over rule of his life completely to God’s purposes. 2) He knew the word of the Lord, which allowed him to sustain and encourage others. 3) He took time to listen and, 4) He did not flee from the tough assignments. He didn’t shrink back. If we are to be able to listen to God, we must follow the same principles. Knowing and spending time studying God’s Word allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind His instructions for what He wants for us. Recently, I became very busy in my work and other activities. It wasn’t long before I felt distance between God and me. I had to make a conscious decision to carve out more time alone to listen, study, and meditate on His Word. This is the lifeline for the follower of Jesus. When we begin to lose the relationship, we are susceptible to becoming rebellious, going our own way. Invest your life in this relationship so that you may continue to hear His voice and sustain the weary ones around you.

PRAYER:

Written by the apostle Paul (c4 BC – c64 AD) to the church in Collossae (Colossians 1:9-12).

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Shari Rose Shepherd, a contemporary speaker and author.

I don’t know what you carry or who or what burdens you, but I do know your Daddy in heaven is lovingly waiting for you to give them to him. Even after I became a Christian, I did not know how to process the problems and pain this life brings. Somehow, I thought that following Jesus would eliminate all my pain. So, whenever I experienced emotions that did not feel good, I ignored them. I thought if I kept my feelings covered up, they would go away. I handled my heart the same way I did before I was a Christian. I put my life in fast-forward by setting more goals and filling my schedule with excessive busyness. I did this so I would not have to feel or deal with anything emotionally difficult. In theory, that sounds like it might work, but in real life it causes emotional meltdowns. At one point of my life, I had buried so much of my emotional pain that every part of my body was hurting. I had panic attacks, crying spells, loss of memory, and chronic depression. When I had no more strength or desire to run any longer, I finally found freedom and powerful peace. I learned to run to God and cry out to my Daddy in heaven.

I don’t know where your heart is at this moment, but I do know how to lead you to your Father in heaven, in whose presence healing begins and you can breathe again. Let’s do the following three things today: 1) Pray and ask God to show you the areas of your life that you are holding back from Him. 2) write a list of the heavy things you carry and you want to give your heavenly Father, and 3) be still after you do the above and allow Him to show you that He is the god of comfort and is strong enough to carry anything that concerns his chosen child… You!

PRAYER:

Written as a scripted prayer by the Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church in West Coast Singapore.

Dear God, thank You for the opportunity to run the race that is marked out for me. Every day, help me to run it with joy and gratitude. Grant me strength, discipline and focus as I run it. I know, O Lord, that it is not a sprint; rather, it is a marathon. There will be times when we run uphill and are truly exhausted, tempted sorely to give up. In those moments, Lord, help me to remember what Jesus did – He obeyed the Father, never gave up and completed the race marked out for Him. As He hung on the Cross of Calvary, He could rightly say, “It is finished.”  Lord, grant me the strength, like Jesus, to be obedient and finish my race well too. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Anne Peterson, a contemporary poet, speaker, and author.

Human touch is necessary for thriving. As a returning student, in a psychology class, I learned the importance of human touch. Some scientists separated a group of baby monkeys into two groups. Each group of monkeys was given their basic needs- food water, and rest. But while the monkeys in Group 2 did have all their physical needs met, one need was withheld— touch. The monkeys were not touched by the caregivers. The scientists believed there would be differences in the outcomes, but they were surprised to find that the monkeys who did not receive touch languished and actually died. We all need touch. When I was a child, if I had a fever, my mother would gently feel my brow. I knew my mom loved me, but she wasn’t someone to physically show it. I still remember one time telling her, “I think I have a headache.” Confusing headaches with fevers, I hoped for a tender touch. It’s a basic need we all have. When children saw Jesus, they were drawn to him. And though the disciples thought the children would be bothersome, and they tried to shoo the children away, Jesus rebuked his disciples and welcomed the little ones. I’m sure he would have been smiling as he touched each precious little head and blessed them. There’s something about touch that goes deep into our souls. When we’re hurting and we feel someone’s hand on our shoulder, we feel cared for, less alone, and the burden we are bearing somehow seems more bearable. I imagine Jesus lovingly touching others. He even touched those others saw as untouchable. Everyone was touchable to Jesus…Touch lets another person know that he/she is not alone. God knows when we face difficult circumstances, we’re tempted to feel overwhelmed. We focus on our big problems instead of looking at how big and powerful our God is. Yet, God is able to help us with anything we face. One woman was following a large crowd of people. She was determined to see Jesus. She had heard he heals people, something she needed. She suffered from an issue of blood for years. If she could just see Jesus, she thought, maybe get close enough to touch him, maybe she would be healed. And when she managed to touch the hem of his garment, Jesus actually felt power leave him and he asked his disciples, “Who touched me?” The disciples were surprised by Jesus’ question since he was surrounded by so many people. But the woman was healed. Jesus touched people wherever he went. What about you? In what way do you need God’s touch? You don’t have to face things alone. We are invited to go to God’s throne room, and God will supply grace for us. God loves the world, but He responds to each of us individually. God is all-powerful and omnipresent, which means He is present everywhere at the same time. He is with me, the same time He is with you. How amazing is that? And you can reach out and take His extended hand, whenever you need to.

PRAYER:

Written by Anne Peterson, author of today’s meditation.

A child holds his father’s hand
without a single care.
Their journey doesn’t matter,
for he knows his father’s there.

When trials overwhelm us,
may we be like this child,
and simply take our Father’s hand
and walk with Him awhile. 

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