The Way

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 15, 2020.

I am abysmally bad at directions.  When I say this, I am not being falsely modest.  I, quite literally, have negative instincts when it comes to going from point A to point B.  If the correct direction is “right”, my inner compass ALWAYS will tell me to turn “left.”  Before the days of Gmaps, this directional dyslexia was dangerous.  Now, it is merely annoying.  Fortunately, this problem only presents itself when I don’t know where I am going.  Once I have driven to a destination, I can usually find it again.  And, if I think about it, this is true to some degree for me with most things.  The first time I attempt something new, I am likely to be confused, upside down, unsteady.  But as soon as I have accomplished the task once  – it is like a form of muscle memory takes over and I can perfect the skill and grow.  

I used to tell my students all the time – “If you are not experiencing some discomfort, you are not learning anything new.” To use the words of educational theory; “dis-equilibrium” precedes growth. The same is true of our physical bodies.  If you are working out and are not sore the next day, you probably have not pushed your muscles into new growth.  It occurs to me that, if this principle is true for the body and the mind, it is probably true in our spiritual lives as well.    

Jesus told his disciples, “I am THE way, the truth and the life.”  John 14:6.  Comforting words – follow Jesus and we will find abundant life and an eternity with our Heavenly Father.  But what does this path look like practically?  Will it always look the same?  I would suggest that the answer to this question is no.  Our God is the same, yesterday, today, and always.  But our vision of Him isn’t the same from day to day, is it?  What I mean to say is, we are limited by our human understanding of God.  As we grow closer to Him, it only makes sense that we will know more of Him, and, accordingly, see more of Him. And, with new spiritual knowledge – new spiritual muscles, we may find ourselves in a season of discomfort.  

I remember the first time that I experienced contemporary worship.  I had never seen anything like it.  And, boy, was I uncomfortable.  I will even go so far to say that I disliked it.  But, I could not deny that I felt  the Lord nudging me, drawing me, leading me to surrender my desire to be “proper” and worship Him with abandon.  The first time I raised my hands in worship is burned into my memory – not because it was blissful, but because it was, well, odd, hard, “discombobulating.”  Looking back, I can now see how the Lord used this new form of worship to grow my relationship with Him.  You see, it wasn’t actually the form of worship that needed shifting – it was my heart’s posture in worship that needed shifting.  With this small shift, the Lord was teaching me to lay down the familiar, and to look for more of Him – even if it made me uncomfortable.  Dis-equilibrium precedes growth.

Friends, I have some questions for you today.  Has your journey with Jesus become easy?  Have you been slowly meandering down the path?  How long has it been since you stretched your spiritual muscles and felt real growth? Have you closed your mind to the possibility that God has more of Himself to show you?  

If you find yourself longing for more  -or if you are excited by the idea of growth –  even if you are annoyed that I would ask these questions  – don’t ignore these feelings.    Take them to your Father in prayer.  Ask Him – what do you have for me today, Lord? But be prepared –  you will never have less of God than you ask for.  Are you willing to suffer some discomfort if it means you will follow Jesus more closely along the way?   It is my prayer that your answer will be “yes.”

In Him,

Sally

 

 

Preparation

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 14, 2020.

Have you ever followed the life of an olympic athlete?  The hours of training, the grueling schedule, the alterations of “normal” life they have to endure to achieve excellence?  I remember, several years ago, someone produced a sweet, tear-inducing commercial that depicted the lives of the parents of several olympians.  The commercial began with the shot of a mom, bleary eyed at 4 am, waking up her daughter, preparing breakfast in the dim dawn light, and then driving her miles away to the ice rink.  This same mom, supporting her limping, weeping daughter off the ice after a fall. Then that mom’s face, watching her daughter receive the gold medal.  Whew!  I could tear up now thinking about it!  The commercial made its point well – the parents too, made huge daily sacrifices to support their athletes.  All in pursuit of a dream – one big, great dream.

Recently, I have been re-reading the story of Joseph.  How he endured abuse from his brothers, slavery, and unjust imprisonment.   How God gave him dreams and wisdom.  And how God used all of it to grow Joseph and shape him so that Joseph could become one of the most respected and trusted men in Egypt.  So that God could work out the redemption and reconciliation of Joseph’s family and, therefore, of Israel (Joseph’s brothers each establishing one of the 12 tribes of Israel).  All in furtherance of God’s dream – God’s big, great dream.

Have you ever viewed your life in this way?  Have you considered that you are being prepared to fulfil a great dream?  That you are being supported by a parent who is with you every step of the way, having made the ultimate sacrifice to equip you and form you?  

During this troubling time, many of us are finding ourselves in circumstances that we wouldn’t choose.  And what do we long for?  Why, the end, of course!  For all of this to end.  What if, instead of looking for the end of the trial, we looked for the successful USE of the trial?  What if we committed ourselves to the training that the trial gives us? What if we, instead of counting down the days until the end, fixed our eyes on the BIG, GREAT DREAM?  And, we also know what this dream looks like – it has a name and a face.  Jesus.

The book of Hebrews gives us these precise instructions.  I have enjoyed the Passion Translation’s depiction:

As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds.  So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into.  Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has already been marked out before us.  We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection.  His example is this:  Because His heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be His, He endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Sweet friends, it is my hope that today and every day that we fall into pain and trouble and hardship – as God’s word tells us we will -that  we can see God’s heart for us in it and refocus.  Focus on Him who wastes nothing and is preparing us to play a part in his big, great dream.    

Heavenly Father, your preparation and discipline is never for nothing.  You are good, and your plans are good.  Grant that, even if we cannot see the purpose of our pain right now, we might lift our heads and look past our circumstances.  Enable us to fix our eyes on Jesus.  We ask this all in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

In Him,

Sally  

 

 

Obey

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 13, 2020.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there existed a formula to faith?  In other areas of life, we have recipes that work.    In law school, I studied the case of the theft of the Coca-Cola secret recipe.  That recipe certainly seems to have been successful over the years.  Mathematical formulae are popping into my head right now – I won’t write them because I don’t know how to use them – but I am told that they work as well.    I have been binge-watching the Great British Bake-Off show – indeed, those recipes even seem to work.

We must face the truth:  there exists no “five easy step” plan for deep, abiding faith.  And, I think I can safely say this is true for all relationships.  We cannot mix quality A with action B and come up with a deep relationship with anyone, can we?  Yes, I think it is safe to say that, in relationships, formulas cannot be relied upon to grow love.

And our relationship with God certainly is no exception.  But the Bible tells us that there are certain components that God uses to soften the soil of our hearts so that our faith can deepen and grow.  One of those components is OBEDIENCE.  All humans, from small children, to huge armies, get the concept.  Obedience takes our eyes off ourselves, allows us to grow trust, and that trust gives us the building blocks for love.  

We see God use obedience to grow His people over and over in the Bible.  Years of slavery in Egypt had taught the Israelites to obey.  Obedience born of fear.  God taught the Israelites to obey – Obedience born of love.  He asked them to leave slavery (and the certainty it provided) to go into the unknown.  And then He showed them that He could be trusted to care for them in the midst of the unknown.  

God asks the same of us – to obey.  To take the shaky first steps of trusting that our God is good and that he wants to make himself known to us.  To listen and answer, “Yes.”  

Friends, I have loved the Lord and walked with Him for years.  But sometimes I find myself dancing to the beat of my own drummer.  I jump ahead and practice the art of self-obedience.  I “Ready, FIRE, Aim”  instead of “Ready, Aim, Fire.”  Sometimes, I need a reset.  And, I think we can all agree, the world today is offering the perfect motivation to Christians to hit their knees, listen to God’s words, and obey.

If you, like me, have grown numb to God’s call to obedience, it can be helpful to remember to tune our ear to the ways God speaks.  Below I have included a list of some ways God speaks to us.   It is my prayer that you might look at these today and find yourself longing to obey.

• Commanding Scripture:  God doesn’t change.  So, if you are struggling to know if you are being obedient in a particular area- the first stop is the book.
• Compelling Spirit:  God, through the  Holy Spirit, often speaks to us in prayer, compelling us about a particular course of action.  He can use a voice we hear in our hearts as we pray,  a verse from the Bible that jumps out to us as we prayerfully read,  dreams, a prophetic word given to us via another person, or a sense of peace about a particular direction.
• Common Sense:  God gave us our brains, and He encourages us to use them and prayerfully consider whether the most logical course of action may, in fact, be the best course of action.
• Circumstantial Signs:  God is the creator of all things, and, as such, He is able to use all things to bring us to Him.  This can happen even in the “random” events of our lives.  We need to “pay” attention and then press into what God may be telling us.

Adapted from:  The Alpha Course

Heavenly Father, help us to be people who practice obedience.  Give us clear guidance on the ways you would have us live during this difficult time.  Give us a fresh filling of your Holy Spirit.  Give us hearts overflowing with the love you have shown us.  We thank you that you are faithful to us and worthy of all praise and honor and glory. We pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

In Him,

Sally  

One Another

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 8, 2020.

I’ve always said that I am a perfect Christian between the hours of 5 and 7 am.  Then the rest of my family gets up and it all starts to fall apart.  It is a common feeling, I suppose.  Alone, in our prayer closet, communing with the Lord feels like the epitome of Christian living.  But, this isn’t how God created us to live, is it?  No, he plunks us down right in the middle of a million other struggling humans and says – “Love one another.”

One would think that, with all of our separation from one another and time with the Lord, we would be filled up and overflowing with love for one another.  But, it seems that our physical separation has started to foster a disconnectedness between us in other ways as well.  One need only look at social media to see it:  fear, division, anger, factions – just a few of the prevailing sentiments arising out of this troubled time.   

And, if you know me, I hope you know that I am not judging the world from the clouds, strumming a harp.  I find myself struggling, too.  Struggling to give grace to others from isolation. Struggling with hurt feelings.  Struggling to make sense of all that I am reading and hearing.  Struggling to understand relationships.  Struggling to be patient with my family.  

So it occurs to me that it might be worthwhile to spend a moment to remind ourselves of the specific ways the Lord calls us to live with one another.

• Love one another: John 13:34-35, Romans 13:8, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 3:11, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:11-12, 2 John 1:5
• Encourage one another: 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:13
• Bear one another’s burdens: Isaiah 41;6
• Care for one another:  11 Corinthians 12:24-25
• Accept one another;  Romans 15:7, Romans 14:1-4
• Be kind to one another:  Ephesians 4:31-32, Galatians 5:22
• Live in harmony with one another:  1 Peter 3:8
• Forgive one another:  Ephesians 4:32
• Be hospitable to one another.  1 Peter 4:9
• Honor one another:  Romans 12:10
• Belong to one another:  Romans 12:5, Ephesians 4:25, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Hebrews 10:25, 1 Corinthians 12:24-25
• Be devoted to one another:  Romans 12:10
• Speak truthfully to one another.  Colossians 3:9, Ephesians 4:25
• Teach one another:  Colossians 3:16
• Agree with one another:  1 Corinthians 1:10
• Look out for one another:  Phillippians 2:4
• Worship with one another.  Ephesians 5:19-20
• Lay down your lives for one another.  1 John 3:`16 
• Do not provoke one another:  Galatians 5:25-26
• Do not grumble against one another:  James 5:9
• Do not envy one another:  Galatians 5:25-26

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Lord, thank you that you know us so well and that, with every step forward as well as with every mistake we make, you are there to guide us in the way you would have us go.  Lead us, Heavenly Father, to be a people marked by our generosity, kindness, and love.  Heal us, Lord, in the areas in which we struggle.  Give us your heart for each other and for the world that we would be a light in the darkness.  We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Him,

Sally

Comfort

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 7, 2020.

We have 2 dogs.  They are King Charles spaniels and are named Daisy and Tilly.  In our early married life, Bruce and I owned a Weimaraner, Belle.  Now, if you know anything about dogs, these breeds are as different as night and day.  Belle was like a horse – she loved to run and go to the country.  She had more energy than any 10 animals – a fact that was unfortunate when I became pregnant with Coleman and Bruce was gone for 3 months!  It probably provided comic relief for my neighbors to watch me waddle around the neighborhood being pulled by a 100 pound grey pony.  Compare this, if you will, to Daisy and Tilly.  These dogs require zero exercise – in fact they happiest if they are asleep on your lap.  I read somewhere that, originally, the dogs were bred to warm the laps of 16th century kings in their drafty castle.  Literally, they are little living, loving hot water bottles.  They have no instincts to hunt or fetch.  Their ONLY purpose is to comfort.  And so, I suppose, that is the impression I get when I think of the word, “comfort.”  Something soft and warm, loving, something that gives without demanding much.  But comfort can take many forms, can’t it?  Below I have listed some of the ways God promises to comfort us.  It is my prayer that these truths will touch you and give you peace during these unsettling times.

• God’s comfort is like a parent comforting a baby.  Isaiah 66:13.  
• He is a companion during dark times.  Psalm 23.  
• He offers comfort through the guidance of His law.  Psalm 119:52. 
• He speaks words of comfort through prophecy.  1 Corinthians 14:3.  
• He provides comfort through the presence of other people.  1 Corinthians 7:6.
• He protects us by going ahead of us. Deuteronomy 31:8
• He gives us constant, merciful faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22

 

Heavenly Father, you promise to lead us in all truth and to comfort us along the way.  We ask that you will give us, your children, a special awareness of your presence today.  And we thank you that, regardless of our circumstances, we can trust in your presence and your goodness.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen

 In Him,

Sally

 

Ask

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 5, 2020.

The birds at the beach are amazing.  This morning, I couldn’t sleep past 5 so I got up to watch the sun rise from my porch here at Pawleys.  We have a Purple Martin bird house that my uncle built years ago in the style of our beach house and it is full of baby Martins right now.  Currently, there must be a hundred Martin mamas flying around here catching bugs for those babies.  Then, there are the seabirds, I suppose they are gulls of some sort – they will fly and stop mid-air only to dive-bomb straight down into the water to grab their fishy breakfast.  And the Sandpipers, which are shore birds, with their knobby knees and long beaks, frenetically running back and forth at the edge of the ocean waves.  Life is busy for beach birds in the morning!  

Watching birds always sends my brain into the book of Matthew.  You know the verse:  

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  Matthew 6:25

It doesn’t take a deep theological analysis of Calvinism vs. Arminianism to understand this verse, does it?  God knows what we need.  He has got it.  Don’t worry.  But then, we read an interesting directive in the next chapter of Matthew.  

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7

So, if God knows what we need – why do we need to ask?

These aren’t the only verses that seem to compel the believer to ask – while Jesus was ministering to folks here on earth, he often asked people, “What do you need?”  I once heard a hilarious teaching on Jesus’ healing of Blind Bartimaeus.  He asks old Barty – “What do you want me to do for you?”  Folks, the man was so blind that his first name was “Blind.”  Why, oh why does Jesus ask him this question?  

I would suggest that the answer has to do with human nature.  Have you ever given a gift for someone that you put a ton of thought to?  A gift that you prepared with excitement and deep knowledge that it would be perfect for the receiver?  And, have you ever had that gift accepted with apathy?  Because the person didn’t really need it or understand it?  I have spent months knitting a baby blanket for a new baby only to have it put on the blanket pile with all the other blankets from Target.  Gotta say, not a great feeling. Not because I need recognition but because I want, with my gifts, to show people how much I love them.  “Months of work” love – not “a trip to Target” love.   Now, I know God isn’t human and doesn’t respond as I do.  However, the Bible tells us that He is a giver of good gifts.  And that those gifts reflect his love for us.  But often, in our humanity, we tend to operate according to the following belief:    A good gift is only as good as our need.  

Birds are easy, aren’t they – a nice juicy bug/fish/shrimp…that’s all they need.  Humans, not so simple.  God gives his children good gifts – not a snake or a scorpion.  Why?  Because he loves us and wants to draw us to Himself.  Consider if Jesus had healed old Barty of his blindness without asking only to find that what Barty really believed he needed was better posture?  Barty would have received the good gift – but would he have been drawn closer to Jesus? 

Friends, God knows our needs – and so He knows that our deepest and most important need is for more of Him.  But, in his kindness, He also understands that we have a complex and, often, broken view of our own needs.  So He tells us – Ask, Seek, Knock.  And in return He simply asks us to trust that the gifts He gives will be for our good and for His glory.  So, today, I encourage you to take a minute to consider what you really need.  And ask.  It is my prayer that what you are given will thrill and delight you – but most importantly, that you will be brought to a place of deeper union with your good, good Father.

Heavenly Father,  we offer you thanks and praise that you are good, you know us so well, and you know what we need.  Lord give us eyes to see the good gifts you have already given us.  Give us hearts of gratitude for your many blessings.  And, above all, give us the wisdom to see that what we really need is more of you.  We pray this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

In Him,

Sally

 

Clean

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 4, 2020.

If you are a follower of Christ, it should come as no surprise to hear the word “repent.”  Jesus’ first words after His baptism were, “The time has come.  The kingdom of God has come near.  Repent and believe the good news!”  Mark 1:15.  Scripture reminds us of the power of confessing our sins, of seeking forgiveness.  And we are assured that when we ask the Lord to remove our sins from us, He is faithful to do so: “as far as the east is from the west.” Psalm 103:12.  And sometimes we repent and are free immediately –   a “one-and-done” venture.   But, if you are someone who struggles with recurrent sinful patterns – I know that I do – it can be discouraging to find yourself returning to the Lord AGAIN and AGAIN to confess to the same sin.  After all, if we are in Christ, we are a new creation, right? Why, then, do I DO these things?  Have you ever had this same thought? 

I am writing to you today from Pawleys Island, where my family has lived off and on for 4 generations.  My great-uncle was the first postmaster here, I took my first steps on the beach here, I even had my first kiss on the walkway at the Pawley House.  For those of you who are familiar with the island, you know that the “North End” is divided from the “South End” by a pier.  On the south side of the pier, rock jetties (or groins), jut out into the ocean every 3-4 houses – an age-old attempt to stem erosion.  I have come to love these jetties – pools form around them which are so much fun for little ones.  Also, they provide a great marker for how far you have walked.  However, when we got to the island this Saturday and made our way to the pier, I was shocked to find out:   The jetties are gone!  I knew that a substantial beach renourishment project had taken place this winter, but I had no idea that it included the removal of these structures.  I cannot imagine how deep they had to dig to remove those groins.  The beach looked so broad and clean – and, to be honest, odd – I simply can’t remember a time that these jetties were not a part of life on the island.  

It occurs to me that many of the sinful, hard to shake, behavioral patterns in my life are like these jetties.  Based somewhere in the protective structures of my heart, I have become dependent on coping strategies that go way way back.  Probably, when they were first formed, I needed them – and even now, they feel useful and familiar.  But the truth is, maybe, now, it is time for them to go.  

Friends, if you find yourself nodding your head with me right now, be encouraged.  What God reveals, He heals.  But, don’t let this snappy saying fool you – following Christ is not for the faint of heart – and asking Him to heal you of  long-held protective behaviors is no walk in the park.  But – as with all hard things – the freedom and fruit on the other side is beautiful.    If you also are finding yourself in a season of awareness that you are struggling with hard-to-relinquish behaviors, I have some personal recommendations that might be of help.  

• Enlist assistance:  James 5:16 has great counsel here:  Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  We have an amazing ministry at St. Andrew’s called Ananias Prayer that specializes in walking through tough issues with folks.  I highly recommend it.  Ananias@StAndrews.Church
• Lean into our Father:  Friends, we have a good Father who will guide us and give us the steps we need to take in His timing.    Have you ever seen a small child wrestling with something new that they are learning?  My kids famously loved to say, “I do it myself” when they were learning to tie a shoe, or ride a bike.  But wise parents know that new things require parental help.   My favorite verse to remember during times when I want to “Do it all myself”  is 1 Peter 5 6-7:  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
• Rest:  The business of unmaking is hard.  Unlearning old patterns takes effort.  At my lowest, I often look to the promise in Isaiah 30:  In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.  I also found the children’s book by Charles Mackesy entitled,  The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse to hold some sweet words of wisdom.

I leave you with this prayer and the hope that you will, on the other side of this difficult time, find yourself wonderfully clean and free!

Heavenly Father, it is your desire that we come to you as dependent as children.  Lord, we pray today that you would lead us in the way you would have us go – into healing, into health, into joy, and into freedom.  Because you are good and are the giver of good gifts.  And we thank you that you are never far from those you love.  We pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

In Him,

Sally

Victory

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  May 1, 2020.

We are quick to say “winning isn’t everything.”  But winning isn’t nothing either, is it?  For 6 years, I was the coach of the Wando High School Mock Trial team.  And for all those years, we had our name announced as victor in only one competition – it was my last year coaching.  My two older sons were both on the team at the time.  We had practiced for 2 hours a day after school for 4 months leading up to the competition.   We had competed for 2 solid days.  And when the winner was announced, the entire team, led by my 2 boys, engulfed me in screams and hugs and joy.   It was a memory I will treasure my entire life.  Friends, I think we can all agree that hard won victories are important, fulfilling, and life changing.  

There are all kinds winning – but I would submit to you, there can be no victory without a challenge.  Even a game of Candyland has a winner and a loser, a competition, a goal.  Some of the hardest victories can be interpersonal ones – where we fight demons inside ourselves.  But even here there is a fight, hard work, and, finally, an outcome – Victory!

God loves to give us snapshots of the spiritual realm in the natural world, and I believe our small human victories are a great example of this.  We are permitted to view, through a tiny window, the joy of heaven when we achieve a win here on earth.  And the Bible talks of this joy – the joy in heaven over one repentant sinner.   And the ultimate joy- when Jesus defeated death.

In the song, “King of Kings”, by HIllsong Worship, the lyrics speak of the joy of Easter morning:

And the moment that you rose, 

All of Heaven held its breath

Til the stone was moved for good

For the Lamb had conquered death.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of5IcFWiEpg 

Friends, can’t you just see it? All the heavenly host roaring in joy at Jesus’ final victory over sin, the devil, and death – greater even than Clemson fans at a National Championship game!  It makes me want to cry to imagine it.

Why do I share this with you this morning?  Because it occurs to me that, today, some of us might need reminding of what victory is – what victory means – how victory feels.  Some of us might need a dose of joy today.  So I have printed below a wonderful declaration of the victory we experience in Jesus.  Enjoy, sweet friends, and I pray that each of us will be filled with the joy of the simple truth that we are the benefactors of Jesus’ ultimate victory!

In Him,

Sally

Declaration of Victory in Jesus

• All power is yours, Sovereign God my Father.
• I have confessed Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
• I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and clothed in His righteousness.
• I am in Christ.  I am co-crucified, co-buried, co-resurrected, co-ascended, and co-seated at the right hand of the Father.
• The Holy Spirit lives in me, and I receive all of His full operation in my life.
• I yield myself to all of God for His service and His glory.
• The devil has no place in me, no power, dominion, rule, authority, or force over me.
• There are no unsettled claims nor effectual assignments against me.
• All is covered by the spotless blood of the Lamb.
• I overcome Satan by the victory of that blood.
• I stand against every lie the deceiver ever told me.
• I refuse all his accusations and condemnations and guilt, having placed all my sins on the cross.
• I take back all the ground I ever gave him.
• I close every door I ever opened to him, intentionally or in ignorance.
• In the name of Jesus, in His authority, by His blood, according to His word, and in the power of His Spirit, I pull down every stronghold the devil ever erected in my life by sin, my own or that of my parents or prior generations.
• I know that my weapons are mighty through God to pull down every stronghold and cast down every trick of the mind.
• I refuse everything that exalts itself against knowing God, knowing His will, and doing it in obedience to Jesus Christ.
• I have perfect liberty and victory in Jesus and live in it, in Jesus’ name.
• Christ is victorious over all the power of the enemy, and I am also in Him.

Prayer Portions, Sylvia Gunther

 

Time

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  April 29, 2020.

I love to take personality tests. And – just do a search – you will find many, many tests on the internet.  There are tests that measure natural gifts, spiritual gifts, innate patterns, and leadership propensity. But one that has been particularly interesting to me was the test identifying my “Love Language.”   The theory, based on the books by Gary Chapman, is that we each develop preferred ways to receive love.  For example, I am not particularly overwhelmed by being given gifts – don’t get me wrong, I like to receive gifts – but if you really want to show me you love me, mark off some time on your calendar – I need quality time with you.  And, so Chapman’s theory goes, we tend to give love in the way we like to receive it.  So, a sign that I love you is that I want to spend quality time with you.

So, today, I invite you to join me in expressing your love to God through some concerted time.  I invite you to mark off some time today to meet with the Lord in, perhaps, a new way.  You might want to journal, read and meditate on your favorite Psalm, or just sit in silence.  One spiritual discipline that I have enjoyed is called “Contemplative Prayer.”  I have shared the description of the flow of this type of prayer below.  However you choose to meet with Him, it is my prayer that you will come away from your time filled with the Holy Spirit and with the deep peace of God.

Contemplative Prayer:

1. 1.  Settle into a time of quiet with God (if it is hard for you to sit still, go for a walk).  Say to God, “Here I am, I am with you.”  Be with God.  Welcome him with open arms.  Be in the moment without controlling or influencing it.  Give God the gift of your love and presence.  Do not strive.  There is nothing to achieve.  Be with God in loving attentiveness.  Leave his presence gently when you sense you must go.
   2. One way to quiet our minds is to quiet our bodies.  Spend five minutes intentionally relaxing your body and breathing deeply.  Afterward, spend five minutes noticing where your mind wants to go.  Offer your noticing to God.  Then let go and open yourself to God’s love.  Be receptive to a prayer God may be giving you to say.  Eng your prayer by breathing in God’s love.  Go with the awareness that your every breath is God’s gift.
   3. Light a candle and become quiet before the creator of light.  Allow the candlelight to center your heart in the Light of the world.  Offer yourself and all your darkness to Jesus.  Remain in His light.  Be comforted; all the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of one match.  How much greater is the Light in you.
   4. Sacred word.  Choose a prayer word as the symbol of your desire to let Jesus’ action and presence form you.  The word could reflect a deep desire of your heart (e.g., love, grace, peace), or the word might be a name or title of God (e.g., Jesus, good Shepherd, Counselor, Healer of my soul, Defender).  Become still and offer yourself and your love to God.  Let this word or phrase draw you into the presence of Christ.  When you are distracted, return gently to your word and to the Lord.  At the end of the prayer, remain still for several minutes.  Throughout your day return to your word and remind the Lord of your love for Him.

 

 

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

In Him,

Sally

Health

Reprinted from St. Andrew’s Church COVID-19 Devotional Series.  April 28, 2020.

My son, Ben, is our resident COVID-19 expert.  He keeps track of all the news on the pandemic, its spread, and the medical advances that are being tested.  Helpful.  However, he also has the ears of an elephant and, if any of us lets out the smallest cough in the house – he immediately materializes, asking, “COVID?” Less helpful.  

I would venture to guess that many of us are a bit more aware of our health during this time of social distancing.  Of course, health encompasses more than sickness – we can have concerns about our relational health and our spiritual health in addition to our physical health.  And, what’s more, we have the unusual circumstances in which we are living  – disrupted routines and school and work environments – that can give us the chance to focus on the state of our health.  Friends, what are you seeing?

Personally, I have noticed that the absence of a genuine routine has given me a lack of grounding regarding my physical needs:  Am I hungry?  Do I need to sleep? Is it time for a walk?  It is as though, without the guidelines of a “normal” schedule, I have gone nose-blind to my needs and how to meet those needs.  My weight – a constant struggle for me in the best of times – has ballooned to the point that I know I need to make some serious dietary changes.  And I know I am not alone – if social media is any indication, folks everywhere are struggling with the temptation to overindulge in food and alcohol. 

Similarly, my relational health has been impacted.  In my house, the sheer volume of people living, working, and studying here without any coming or going has caused a glut of interpersonal interaction.  I can’t remember the last time I asked my husband about his day.  Because I know all about his day – I am with him for every second of it!  Sadly, here I am not alone either – all this togetherness is no joking matter for some.  In Charleston County, the incidents of domestic violence and child abuse are on the rise.  Teachers are being told to find a way to virtually lay their eyes on their students at least 2 times a week to assess their well-being and safety.

I have even seen repercussions on my spiritual health.  While I am still taking time to worship and meet with the Lord, I have to own that a portion of the satisfaction I feel in my faith is running low.  And this has a reasonable explanation – I miss my people.  I love to meet with people, worship and pray with people, and share the good news with people.  Ministry isn’t just my job – It is an outworking of my faith.

Friends, I share this with you, not to depress or scare you, but to offer the truth that – if you are struggling – you are not alone.  I also share this with you to offer you some hope.  You see, the truth is, while our lives might be rocked by our current circumstances, our God isn’t.  Our God is one of renewal – of rebirth.  And, perhaps, it is even worth remembering that for something to be reborn, other things need to die.  Just look outside right now.  The dreary, dying, cold winter is ending – we see the birds, the flowers, the bright green marsh grass – all renewed.

When the Israelites were captive in Egypt, they, too, were used to a certain rhythm.  One such rhythm involved agriculture.  In Egypt, the Israelites grew their food in soil fed by the water of the Nile.  The Israelites knew how to live according to this rhythm.  Sure, it was the rhythm of slavery – but it was a known entity.  In His loving kindness, God led his children away from their slavery into a new land – the Promised Land.  However, before they could move into this land, some things had to die.  You see, God knew that, in Canaan, there was no water source as obviously dependable as the Nile.  The Israelites, instead, would need to be dependent on God to bring rain to water their crops.   It was a “new normal”, a normal that would require total dependence on God.  You see, for the Israelites to accept this “new normal”, it required the death of their old rhythms.  And those rhythms took 40 years in the wilderness to die.  Forty years of God’s provision of manna to teach trust and dependence on God.  To teach them a new rhythm – God’s rhythm.

Friends, what if God is leading us out from the slavery of our known rhythms?  What if he is leading us to a renewed life – one of complete dependence on Him?  I look at my life these days.  The structures I have come to depend on to make myself feel “ok?”  And I ask myself,  what parts need to be reborn?  What needs to die?  And, this gives me courage – and hope.  Because I know our God.  He is good.  So, friends, let us look to Him.  And take heart.    

Spring is coming.  

Heavenly Father, you know the desires of our hearts.  You love us where we are.  You are a God of renewal.  Lord, lead us, your children, into a fresh experience of your presence.  Lead us to hope in you.  Lead us to trust in your provision in each and every area of our lives.  Lord we ask this so that your light would shine in this dark and hurting world – to the honor and glory of your holy name.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.