WATCHWORD:
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 1 Chronicles 16:11
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18
Meditation:
Right Influences
Have you ever been under the influence? How about the way your granddaughter has of twisting you around her little finger? Influence. A little too much celebratory wine? Influence. An altered state of mind because of any number of things. Yes, it could be substance, or as crisis in your life as the result of loss or gain, good things or tragic events. Or perhaps, the powerful influence of those around you?
We all experience that “altered state” which we may label “anxiety”, “depression”, “elation”, “anticipation”, “grief”, “anger”, “over the moon happiness”, through the entire catalog of emotions. Powerful persons in our lives or powerful ideas can alter our thinking and our behavior. All of these influence our thinking and our reactions. It should not surprise us that our reaction to any given set of circumstances can be “altered” or influenced by our emotional or mental state, or perhaps, by principles that we hold immutable.
I know that I am under the influence by a whole range of pressures that push me in various ways, both good and bad. I am influenced by my faith, by what has gone on in my life, the joys and the loss. I am mightily influenced by my changing and aging body, by not being able to do those things quite as well as I used to.
I do wonder, sometimes, when my faith clashes with those forces of influence, are my decisions or choices in line with my faith or am I giving in to those other forces? It is not always an easy choice. In the past, and maybe the present, too, we toyed with WWJD. You know, What Would Jesus Do, and if we were serious, we might begin to realize that it is a very real guide to good decisions.
How do you know if it was a decision that Jesus would bless? Good question. How about this: How do you feel afterwards? Buyer’s remorse? Guilt? Anger? Regret? Or, are you happy? A sense of joy in doing the “right” thing? A lightness of your heart because you “just know” He approves.
Rule of thumb? You can’t miss if you are doing the “right” thing, if you are trusting your faith in Christ, and it couldn’t hurt to call on the Lord in times of uncertainty. Ask the question, WWJD? Then listen carefully for the answer within. He responds, 24/7. So be it.
Shaggy Dog Story of Redemption:
Two prawns were swimming around in the ocean.
One called Justin and the other called Kristian.
The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that inhabited the area:
Finally one day Justin said to Kristian. “I’m fed up with being a prawn. I wish I was a shark and then I wouldn’t have any worries about being eaten.”
A large mysterious cod appeared and said. “Your wish is granted”
Low and behold, Justin turned into a shark.
Horrified, Kristian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.
Time passed (as it does) and Justin found life as a shark boring and lonely All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them. Justin didn’t realise that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight.
While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again and he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back into a prawn..
He approached the cod and begged to be changed back, and, lo and behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn.
With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes Justin swam to Kristian’s home. As he opened the coral gate, memories came flooding back.
He banged on the door and shouted. “It’s me, Justin, your old friend, come out and see me again.”
Kristian replied. “No way man, you’ll eat me. You’re now a shark, the enemy and I’ll not be tricked into being your dinner.”
Justin cried back. “No, I’m not. That was the old me. I’ve changed…….
I’ve found Cod. I’m a Prawn again Kristian.”
Can you ever forgive me? Stan
Closing Prayer:
Our Father, we bow before You and ask that, by Your Spirit, You will bring us to the place where we are truly able to pray from the heart, ‘Your will be done.’ You know how strong our own wills are. You know how hard we find it to submit to Your way for our lives. Lord, strengthen us to desire and to do Your will. Help us to trust You when it is hard to understand what You are doing. Help us to know and believe that You reign supreme in all things, including the things we do not understand.
Father, we pray that You will help us to grow in discernment. Lead us on the path of wisdom and guard us from making foolish decisions. Help us to think clearly and to weigh correctly. Give us the humility that seeks and hears the wise counsel of others. Help us to be vigorous in ruling out what You forbid and ruling in what You command.
We pray that You will help us to do Your revealed will fully, gladly, and immediately. Save us from thinking of prayer as a means by which we can get You to do our will. Make us more like Jesus. Teach us to say, “Your will be done’ through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
