Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth chances

I just felt impressed to remind you that God is a God of second chances.  No matter how many times you mess up, He is still there for you.  He will take you back again and again and again.  Jesus told Peter to forgive 70 times 7 in Matthew 18:22.  That is to say there is no limit to the forgiveness of God.

So don't give up on God because He never gives up on you.

Top of the to-do list

I was pretty proud of myself... for about two seconds.  Then I realized I hadn't gotten anywhere at all.  I was in the process of checking off several things from my to do list and thinking I had really gotten something accomplished.  Then I realized there were as many things to add to it as I had checked off.  I also realized that the list was longer this week than it was the week before.  How could I ever keep up with all that? And to top it all off I had not gotten to any of the spiritual readings I had hoped to and had barely spent any time in prayer that day.

Has this ever happened to you?  You get so busy with life that there's no time for God.  It's not your intention to short change God.  You just have a lot to do. But that doesn't change the fact that you need time with Him.  It's not that the other things aren't important but it can never be at the expense of your personal devotions.  It's a matter of priorities.  God needs to come first always.  Make sure the first thing you do is to spend time with Jesus.  If not it can get pretty crowded in the middle of the pack.

Walking with Jesus

In Matthew 28:20 Jesus reminds us "...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  And while that is a comfort when things go poorly, what about when everything is fine.  Are we as mindful of His presence in our ordinary, day-to-day life?  Do we celebrate our victories with Him on our mind as much as when we run to Him in our hour of need.  Like the old negro spiritual says, "I want Jesus to walk with me."  Just make sure it is in every moment and in every circumstance.

Do you worship during your worship?

People often ask me as a pastor for advice, "how do I make my daily devotional more meaningful?"  They tell me that they feel really bad but they almost dread their personal time with God because it has become very routine and stale.  A perfunctory prayer for guidance, protection of family members and a celestial to-do list is followed by a quick bible verse, a page out of the devotional or scan through the day's Sabbath school lesson.  "But something is missing", they say.

What's missing from your worship is just that...worship.  It's not that there is anything wrong with what is already there, but if our time with God does not include all the aspects of a relationship with Him, including worship, it will eventually become flat and lifeless.  And by worship I don't mean thanking God for His blessings, answered prayers and the like.  That's different, and many who are unsatisfied with their worship do thank God as part of their prayers.

But thanksgiving and worship are two very different things.  Worship and adoration are about who God is, where thanksgiving is about what He has done.  We need to look comprehensively at our relationship with God and see beyond an intellectual study followed by a quick review of transactions requests past and present.  There is a spiritual need in all of us to praise God for who He is and recognize our place as His loving, grateful and submissive subjects.

So maybe if you are in the same spot as those who have spoken to me let me make a few suggestions and you can take whatever works for you.  Try praising God in your prayers.  I use the ACTS format for prayers a lot and the A stands for adoration.  Simply give God the praise for being a great, wonderful, powerful, merciful, gracious, generous, loving creator.  If you have the space and time, try singing a hymn of praise as part of your worship.  What I do is put on a song of praise on the stereo or computer while I pray and hum/sing my praises.  (Youtube has lots of wonderful worship music.)  Find what works for you.  Each person praises God differently.  Just make sure you worship in your worship.

What's your go juice?

The other day I was out jogging and saw a travel coffee cup in the middle of the street.  I wondered who the owner might be as there was no house immediately in front of where it lay save a couple of likely dwellings that sat a short distance away.  It was an expensive stainless steel design but now was a little warped and the decorative plastic was broken strewn all around.  Apparently it had been unceremoniously run over by perhaps a hurried soccer mom taking her kids to school.  I'm sure it was owner, some busy professional had placed it on the hood of his or her car before loading the briefcase.  Later in their hurry forgot it there and sped ignorantly off to work.  Though the bliss of their ignorance must have been short lived.  One thing is for sure.  Considering our society's obsession with the fruit of the bean they will badly miss their morning pick me up and probably be less than pleasant to deal with.

So I ask you today, "What is your morning pick-me-up?"  Is it coffee that brings sunshine to your day or is it time in the Word of God that give you strength?  Is your day just not right if you don't steal away to commune with God in prayer and mediation on the scriptures?  It is not my intention to brow beat those who can't live without their java fix.  I merely want you to think about where your energy comes from.  One may abstain from all forms of mocha and still rely on some other second rate energy source.  

So what is your go juice?   Is God your power source?  Would you be as inconsolable without your morning devotional as that business exec was without his joe?