“Your words, thoughts, intentions and actions today are your best hope, comfort, building blocks and insurance for tomorrow. But it is now alone that is guaranteed – tomorrow is a dream, a maybe a potential gift.”
― Rasheed Ogunlaru
― Rasheed Ogunlaru
EZEKIEL 29-31
15Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the nations. For I will diminish Egypt so that it will never again rule over the nations. 16Egypt will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity in turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.” (29:15-16)
JAMES 5
10Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
JOURNAL
This morning I was up early finishing a table. I had to run to Walmart and on the way back I stopped in at cowboys to get a cup of coffee. As I was filling my cup the picture behind the coffee station caught my eye. It was a silhouette of a cowboy on his horse. In that moment God spoke clearly to tell me that this is a picture of obedience and joy. This is the cowboy doing what God has gifted him to do and this picture is celebrating the joy of simply doing his job...of being a cowboy. I can honestly say that most of my life has been lived in pursuit of rewards rather than in the joy of doing my job. Way too often I fantasize about the day when I can go on vacation or buy something "cool" or experience the rewards of success. I have missed so many moments and the joy of those moments because I was lost in the fantasy of "one day".
In many ways so much of the message of the Bible is about learning to be humble and to realize that we are not Gods. The verses in Ezekiel and James are affirmatiion that God is the only God and our lives can vanish in an instant. Our joy is ultimately only found in living day to day in obedience to God. In essence, I am to find my joy in being and doing what God created me to be. In the same way it is tempting to seek God for the purpose of trying to make things easier, or for the purpose of creating better circumstances for ourselves. Rather than seeking God simply in obedience, it's easy to slip into a mindset where we seek to use him for our own purposes rather than seeking his.
God loves each of us and has given us the amazing gift of life to be used in the time that we have on this earth. To live it apart from a relationship with him will only bring further misery and destruction. Live in the now...live in this moment. Do not spend my time worrying or fantasizing about what tomorrow will bring. For the more I am focused on loving God and loving others fully today, then I will experience joy and the love and spirit of God in all that I do.
Father, today is what I have, this moment is all you've given. To venture away from this mindset is to unhinge my heart and mind from you. This is the lesson...this is the message...so simple yet so rare in this world.
In many ways so much of the message of the Bible is about learning to be humble and to realize that we are not Gods. The verses in Ezekiel and James are affirmatiion that God is the only God and our lives can vanish in an instant. Our joy is ultimately only found in living day to day in obedience to God. In essence, I am to find my joy in being and doing what God created me to be. In the same way it is tempting to seek God for the purpose of trying to make things easier, or for the purpose of creating better circumstances for ourselves. Rather than seeking God simply in obedience, it's easy to slip into a mindset where we seek to use him for our own purposes rather than seeking his.
God loves each of us and has given us the amazing gift of life to be used in the time that we have on this earth. To live it apart from a relationship with him will only bring further misery and destruction. Live in the now...live in this moment. Do not spend my time worrying or fantasizing about what tomorrow will bring. For the more I am focused on loving God and loving others fully today, then I will experience joy and the love and spirit of God in all that I do.
Father, today is what I have, this moment is all you've given. To venture away from this mindset is to unhinge my heart and mind from you. This is the lesson...this is the message...so simple yet so rare in this world.
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