Wednesday, August 26, 2009

All My Heart


I do a lot of things with "all my heart", but I wonder how much my heart lines up with God's desires? What does He say I should do with all my heart?

-Seek Him (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13)
-Love Him (Deuteronomy 6:5, 13:3, 30:6; Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30&33, Luke 10:27)
-Serve Him (Deuteronomy 10:12; Joshua 22:5, 1 Samuel 12:20&24,)
-Do His commandments (Deuteronomy 26:16, 30:2)
-Turn to Him (Deuteronomy 30:10)
-Walk before Him (I Kings 2:4)
-Praise Him (Psalms 86:12)
-Trust Him (Proverbs 3:5)
-Believe Him (Acts 8:37)

Does my heart truly belong to God? All of it? There are promises attached to these -- look them up! He is the Life worth giving all your heart...

Friday, August 21, 2009

Seek Ye First

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I haven't blogged for a while. I unintentionally took the summer off! Life is busy. I don't know anyone who isn't nearly out of their minds with busyness. Most of our busyness is probably self-made. I do a lot of planning. I don't know a mom who doesn't plan. It is necessary to feed, clothe and generally take care of the interests of a family. Planning isn't wrong in and of itself. I find it ironic, though, when I'm busy planning because I'm planning to be busy. When my plan becomes that thing that I seek, it is wrong. Jesus said, to seek FIRST the kingdom of God. Jesus said to take NO thought for tomorrow. I have always put the word "thought" in the context of being anxious. The definition does include anxiety, but it encompasses so much more than that. It also means "to care for, look out for (a thing); to seek to promote one’s interests; caring or providing for". I've always thought because God is a God of order, I must have an orderly life, and that order is accomplished by planning. Psalms 37:23 says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD..." Do I plan and seek to follow my plan so much that I leave no room for God to order my steps each day? I know there is a balance here. I believe the balance is achieved by leaving a good portion of our days unscheduled and unplanned so that there is room for God to order our steps that day. I don't want to be so busy that my direction cannot be changed. I don't want to plan God out of my day. How can I reach out to others and meet the needs of others when my own plans are my master. Are all these activities really necessary? They may be good, but are they best? Remember what Jesus said to Martha -- the busy planner? Martha had just expressed her frustration to Jesus about the fact that Mary, her sister, had left Martha to do all the work while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. Much to Martha's surprise, Jesus did not reprimand Mary for not serving Him with Martha. Instead, he reprimanded Martha, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Most of the things that consume my day will go to the grave with me. How much time do I spend with Jesus? How much do I really let Him order my steps in those things that will not be taken away? Now the question is, how to move from B (busyness), to A (at His feet). How does this become a reality in my life? This will be my meditation for the day and my prayer, "Show me, God how to seek Your Kingdom first. Show my how to take NO thought for tomorrow. Let me be willing and able to obey you in each step of my day. May You be the one who orders my steps."