Creation

"God beckons storm clouds, and they come.  He tells the wind to blow and the rain to fall, and they obey immediately.  He speaks to the mountains, "You go there," and he says to the seas, "You stop here," and they do it.  Everything in all creation responds in obedience to the Creator...until we get to you and me.  We have the audacity to look God in the face and say, "No."  - David Platt, Radical

I spent a lot of time outside on this beautiful Houston day.  I was reminded of this quote as I stretched out in the swing set fort.  I was particularly attentive to the birds chirping and my natural surroundings.  I think sometimes living in Houston, it's easy to forget God's majestic creation that we call nature.  Don't get me wrong, Houston is great, but it takes a bigger effort on our part to remember and notice the natural things around us (because let's face it, there's not much left untouched around here).  But today, I was sweetly reminded of how Awesome God is, of the beauty that he surrounds us with through all of His created things.  I remember too, as Platt reminds us, that we are the only ones that say No.  I am torn.  I have great joy in the celebration of free will; how beautiful our worship must be to Him, a joyful noise indeed.  And yet torn because more often, we just say No and go on about our day.  As if offering our praise and adoration to him is something we can put on a to do list.  Take God off your To Do list and put Him in your Heart.  He is pursing you, madly and deeply in love with you...the kind of love that can never be checked off the list - because it is eternal.

Faith

Tonight I am reminded of Rahab and the faith she had in a God with which she was not familiar.  Her place in the lineage of Christ is beautiful.  We never know when God has gone before us and prepared the heart of a Rahab in our lives.  With faith, a task that seems impossible becomes an avenue through which God is exalted.  Who would have ever drawn up such plans as a prostitute in an enemy land helping two spies sent forth by Joshua?  Only the Lord, power and glory be to him!

We see this same faith in Tamar and Ruth.  Tamar and Ruth came to know God because those around them who loved God showed their love outwardly to those who were different from themselves.  Boaz and Naomi had a faith so strong and such abundant love, Ruth couldn't help but see the love of God through them.  Are we living our lives in this way?  Is our faith in God unshakable?  Is it evident?  Are we leading others to Christ through our faith filled actions or are we making them dizzy as they watch an internal tennis match as we battle back and forth between a faith filled and faithless life.  How do we live differently because of what we know?  (Remember what we know!?  The end of the story, that God reigns forever and ever!).  As Christ followers, we're on the winning side.  Our faith needs to show our confidence in this.

Father, give me courage to trust in you fully.  You have gone before me and prepared the way.  In whatever radical or magnificently simple way you have done so, I pray to you for courage and complete faith so that I may approach the unknown with a confidence that only you can give.  I desire for my faith in you to be so steadfast, so strong, that the Nebuchadnezzar's of the world will have no choice but to praise you and your mighty name.  

Devotion

Freedom Weekend was technically to teach the students, but I came away from the weekend deeply desiring to grow closer to the One True God.  The weekend has me thinking about the word Devoted.  What am I devoted to? - or - to what am I devoted (for the English majors out there).  As I studied through the book of Daniel this weekend and continue to read this week, I am struck by the awe of Daniel's devotion.  He has no fear - of the lions' den, of speaking truth to the king.  He is honest and forthcoming, gently and respectfully devoted to the Love of his life, the one who first loved him.

I think to myself, I can only imagine this deep devotion, for I have never been threatened by a king or lions.  All around the world, people are daily taking up their crosses in places where their government has deemed it illegal to claim Jesus as Messiah.  And so I sit here, humbled, and wonder, as an American, what should my devotion look like?  How can I be more devoted?  And as I pray over this very question, somewhere between an answer and another question comes to mind:  More.  There has to be more.  More that I can be doing.  More that I can be praying for.  More that I can be learning.  More that I can be studying.  And before I know it, I am quite overwhelmed with a call and a desire to do More.  I imagine two columns in my peripheral vision, my time never ceasing to fill one or the other.  One is my time spent in the Word, in prayer, being devoted.  The other is time spent being of the world.  At the end of the day I gasp at how disproportionate the columns are, as if I am surprised that yet another day has gone by with the same conclusion.  That despite my 30 minute quiet time, my well intentioned 'devotion' looks more like the size of a mustard seed (well isn't that ironic!) compared with my worldly column.

God, give me strength.  Give me courage, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, discernment.  Help me navigate the things of this world.  I want to be like Daniel, God, hopefully devoted to you in prayer, increasing in knowledge, steadfast in the faith.  I take a step back and realize how trivial the things of this world are, and yet I find myself desiring them in the next moment!  Guide me, Father, as I go through the day.  I pray that my eyes stay focused on You and You alone, for you are God.  My hope is in you and only you.  Give me discernment as I desire to do More for your Kingdom.  You have been Devoted to me since before I was formed in the womb.  I so desire to be Devoted to you with all that I have, with all that I am.