WATCHWORD:
1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. John 15:26
Meditation:
Spiritual Acuity
I wonder if we miss the “ifs” or other modifiers when we study God’s word? In the Proverbs passage, we read, “if you accept my words”, and, “if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding”, and “if you look for it as for silver” you will understand, you will find the knowledge of God. Promises that have a condition which requires us to act.
Sometimes the scripture requires us to have patience, to wait on the Lord. Think of the disciples, on the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, when they were eating with Him, He commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before”. Not only that but they would be baptized, not as john baptized with water, but baptized with the Holy Spirit.
So, they waited. Then the awful happened, the trial and the death of their Lord. Then, the resurrection! Hallelujah! And then, more waiting. What must that have been like? Waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit.
We trust in the Lord, but do we really trust the Lord. We believe that when we were baptized, we received the Holy Spirit within us, the Spirit of God. But do we rely upon that? Do we listen, do we pay attention carefully to the murmurings of the Holy Spirit, in our circumstances, in the inspirations that come to us? Even in the actions and words of others. Take care not to ignore all the ways the Lord works through us, and don’t miss the conditional “ifs” in His commands, and follow Him. So be it.
Thoughts for Valentine’s Day:
Piglet: How do you spell love?
Pooh: You don’t spell it, you feel it.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet needs, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
— Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Ash Wednesday Prayer of Repentance:
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Spiritual Acuity:
Heavenly father, too often our schedules, our busy lives, the choices that we make, the comfort that we’d rather not leave, has given us deaf ears, and blinded eyes to the murmurings and the communication that you have given to us through the Holy Spirit. Forgive us when we’ve turned our back and refused to listen. Forgive us when before our very eyes we see the message from the Lord to act, to do likewise, to come, and we refuse to respond. Forgive us. We pray that you will give us a total commitment to You, Lord in all that we do. Create in us a clean and perceptive spirit to all your communications. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Note from Stan:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Beginning with Ash Wednesday through Good Friday of Holy Week, Watchword devotionals will be coming to you three times each week… Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Got that? Good. God Bless.
