A Biblical Version of "Let It Go" : )

This morning, reading Eugene Peterson, in The Message, he takes a familiar passage at John 12:25- (NLT)...

Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

...and expands it as

...anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal. (MSG)

Think for a moment how those words apply right now.

Then, ask Jesus to reveal an area of life, a relationship, or a decision where you might be holding on too tightly.

Say out loud, "this world is not my home".  How does that feel? What does it make you think about what you might be holding on to?

Picture loosening your grip and then letting it go, "reckless in your love"... imagine God's delight with this act of trust. Thank Him for the forever life that follows this one.

This week, when we grip something tightly- whether a jar lid, a tennis racket, or a child's hand- let's be thankful that our God has a tight grip on our eternity.

And of course, here is Idina Menzel singing "Let It Go"...

Life at the Speed of Prayer

When? Ever wonder when God's going to answer a prayer? God sent the prophet Daniel an angel to answer that question...

Dan 9:23 At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God. So consider the message and understand the vision... Holman Christian Standard Bible.

An answer given, at the beginning of the prayer...Isn't that exactly what we want God to do? Read more about Daniel's prayer in Daniel, chapter 9. Other translations say, "a word was given". So let's just look at the order here-

• At the beginning of Daniel's prayer
• An answer went out
• OK, so we don't all get an Angel to deliver the message : )
• For we are treasured by God
• So consider the message and understand the vision...

Consider how that might change how we pray. We know that one of the purposes of prayer is to get us into God's presence.

Think for a minute about just that. In our real lives, when we take a minute and sit down with someone we love- what's the first thing we want to talk about? Often, it's a "how are you?" or something related. Would we ever ask God, "So, how's it going?" Probably not, and yet we, who are made in His relational image could reflect back to Him what He is to us. Words of worship, gratitude, His own words form the Word, or silence- just gathering ourselves into His presence.

And then, at some point, knowing that an answer will be sent, we can pour out our hearts and requests. Knowing He's a big God whose ways we may not always understand...but we know Him and that we are treasured even beyond our capacity to understand. And it is that God on the receiving end of all our prayers...

Timeless Words from a Faithful Friend : )

On August 1st, some friends and I started a daily journey through the Psalms...taking the meandering route of just one Psalm a day : ) If we stay on track, we'll finish right as this years ends. Probably doesn't sound overly exciting...here's the catch. We are asking God to lead us into reflection and prayer for each other based on those Psalms.

For years, part of the morning routine was to start with the Psalm(s) of the day- 1, 31, 61, 91, 121; then the Proverb of the day and finish off with a reading from the New Testament. Through those years, certain days and Psalms intersected events and seasons of my life in ways that carry with them many memories.

Like Psalm 29, where the focus is on the voice of the Lord being over the water. One of the times I read it was June 29, 1998, in the Fincantieri Shipyards near Venice, Italy on board the Disney Magic... which was departing the next day- headed across the Atlantic for the first time.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.   Psalm 29: 3-4

These words also bring my friends Jean and Richard to mind. They were guests on the trip (their daughter was a key executive) and I met them- only to learn learn later how deep their roots in Christ went. Richard would circle the ship, praying for us, many of whom he did not know- daily for those 11 days.

This week, let's let God take us back to those places in Scripture that intersect our memories each time we read or hear them.

Then reflect upon and express to God how faithful He is in every detail of our lives...with or without our awareness or knowledge of His works on our behalf.