This morning I have to bring some closure to one journal and begin another. That’s hard. I’ve been carrying that journal for almost a year and now it’s full. Although it’s served its purpose I find it hard to put it up. It’s so full of how God interacts in my life. Nevertheless I am pressing on and tackling more blank pages to fill in…and that’s how life is. It keeps moving, closing a chapter and opening another…

Before I put it in my “life box” and tuck it away forever, I thought I could at least share some of the great moments I’ve had in my devotions and prayer times…Four devotions stood out more than a few others.

So here we go…

"Fine Linen"

Mark 15:46

“And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulcher.”

What do we provide for the Master? Is it the finest linen or is it just what will make due? Why aren’t we giving our best, looking to achieve the best, striving for the best? What we use the linen for might seem lifeless, it might seem worthless, it might seem hopeless, but are we not serving a God of resurrection? Can he not resurrect our vision, our relationships, our church, and our families?

"Familiar Altars"

John 10:40

"Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed..."

Do you think that sometimes we need to go back to where God first touched our lives? Jesus returned to the place where the Holy Spirit first publically descended upon him. If Jesus found comfort in returning to a place of comfort and familiarity…than just maybe we need times of great reflection in our life… Maybe we need a time to remember and reflect on our mission, why we are doing what we do, and ultimately our relationship with the Father. That doesn’t mean we stay there…it just means that sometimes it takes going back to go forward…

"Clone"

1 Samuel 8:20 (paraphrasing)

“That we also may be like all the nations…”

The churches battle cry in America sounds too familiar. Overzealous relevant ministry borders on this very downfall…that “we also may be like all the nations”. Vanity breeds spiritual death.

Lord set us apart. Make us entirely yours. Make us sanctified and holy…not like everyone else. Let different and strange be our name. Let it be said that I follow the Lord. Let it be said that I have been with you. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart utterly reject conformity to anything this world has to offer…and then set my eyes and feet straight to the cross.

"Tagline"

John 4:26

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

I think everyone is with me on this one…I wish Jesus would sometimes tag this line after every time He speaks to me. One of the biggest struggles I think everyone faces is knowing the voice of the Lord. Technically I think those that are really searching Him out know His voice…but fear of failure creeps up and we just want the Lord to be absolutely obvious. We want Him to say “yes, it’s Me”. But where is the faith? Where is the relational connection? The more I walk with Him the less I need this tagline, “I who speak to you am He”. The more I walk with Him the more I know Him. Lord help me in this area…