A belated Happy Thanksgiving to you! And to my family as we are gathering today (Saturday 11/25) for a late holiday meal. On Thursday and Friday my daughter had to work--and don't even get me started on Black Friday bleeding into a holiday for the purpose of gratitude. Thanksgiving is NOT supposed to be "Thanksgetting"! I just got the bad news that my daughter's boyfriend might have to work today and may not be joining us :( ...one of the reasons I was most looking forward to today was to get to know this young man better. Well, God will work it out....somehow.
Last Wed. I went back to the foot surgeon whom I had been avoiding for over a year. The pain in my feet and ankles has been brutal. So she gave me injections into the joints (where she could find access)...and I had three good days...days where I didn't need my crutch or wheelchair for short distances. And sadly, yesterday I stood up from the recliner at my dad's..and couldn't put weight on my feet. The pain is not fully back...but it is definitely worsening.
Then last Thursday I had an MRI of my right (my "good" ) ankle. And the doctor sent me those results. It's not good (why am I not surprised?)...a mixed bag of degenerative arthritis and inflammatory damages and arthritis. The ankle joint is bone on bone and something needs to be done, but I think that a joint fusion is not the answer. Anything that makes you pray to die for 18 months is something to maybe be avoided the second time.
Anyway. I did not want to make this post about pain or my medical issues. So what is left? I haven't been reading anything except for two books I'd chosen to work my way through as the chapters are only a page or two. One of the books is by Francois Fenelon, who was a priest in France's royal courts until he fell into disfavor (I think while under Louis xiii) for supporting the teachings of Madam Jeanne Guyon who was imprisoned for her beliefs there in France.
Fenelon is one of my favorite teachers of old in regard to my faith. His writings always prompt me to ponder. The book I'm reading is put out by Christian Classics and is called Meditations on the Heart of God.
Yesterday's reading caused me to stop and think. He said that it is not enough for a believer to think, pray, share their faith with other people, or to suffer for Christ. No, we must also in our eating, sleeping and conversation, do so in radical obedience to God. Faith is not something comprised only of our "holy activity"...it is something to be lived out 24/7. It reminds me of this verse:
This all calls us to live a life of constancy and faith--with mindfulness. I know "mindfulness" is a baby of the current "religious" climate where Eastern influences have infiltrated our culture. But I want to redeem this word. So much of our faith is a call to mindfulness...we are to have a dual awareness...to be praying constantly and keeping our clarity about obeying the Lord. And to do this we need to step back and observe ourselves and evaluate how we are spending our time, our thought life, our temptations, our charities (meaning every recipient of our love), etc.
Keep in mind your obedience to the direction of the Lord. And to do this we must listen for His voice and eagerly seek to obey it's guidance. And we must be familiar with the voice of the Lord. It is easy to mistake our own thoughts for the words of God....and we are broken down, fallen and flawed. Ours is not that voice you want to seek to obey. In order to adequately live and move and speak and eat and drink within the parameter set by God, we must learn to maintain inner stillness...to BE and to KNOW He is God. Continually drink from the wells of His wisdom and love. Seek His direction.
What does it mean to "eat, drink, sleep, converse" in ways that obey and thereby glorify God? Ahhh. Here we go, some Holy Spirit toe stepping. I think it means we are to be moderate in all things. Not to eat too much. Not to eat things that are not good for our bodies. Not to eat simply to feed our cravings. It means to sleep --not too much (see many warnings in Proverbs about this) and not too little. And to glorify God by our conversation. It does not mean only to keep talking about God. It also means to be polite and not to dominate the conversation. It means to really listen to the others who are speaking and to keep our own speech pure and free from anything that displeases our Lord. It means not to employ gossip or to engage in exaggeration.
You can see, can't you, the need for Mindfulness? I read a book called "Mindful Prayer"--I just looked for it on Amazon to give you a link, but all I could find were Buddhist items and topics. When I go back home I will give you the title and author of this book. We are to stay alert for the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he might destroy. And "alertness" is another way of saying Mindfulness...Keep your inner eyes and ears open. Listen to what God is telling you. Seek perfect obedience. (that is the goal....We will remain fallen creatures and inherently imperfect, but God is a God of grace and forgiveness).
I do want to clarify that any effort stemming from our attempts to obey will fall short of what God intends for us. We must throw ourselves on His mercy daily as ultimately we can never attain perfection in this life. We cannot earn salvation by being perfect. This article is not about gaining salvation. It is about what walking in the newness of life is all about. It is to point to our mindset and to shine light into the heart's dark regions and it is to say that God wants ALL of us. Every aspect of our lives is to be surrendered to Him. There are not two kinds of activities. It means that every aspect of our life is to be holy and yielded to God for His sanctifying.
So it is not only our holy occupations that make us believers who please God....it is also the daily tasks and rhythms of life that need to be surrendered and offered to Adonai and our heart must be focused on Him and seeking to please Him. Be gracious in your speech. Don't dominate conversation. Listen to what people are really saying. Keep you inner eyes focused on the face of Y'shua....and seek to hear and understand His Spirit.
Be blessed, my friends...in this holiday season.
Last Wed. I went back to the foot surgeon whom I had been avoiding for over a year. The pain in my feet and ankles has been brutal. So she gave me injections into the joints (where she could find access)...and I had three good days...days where I didn't need my crutch or wheelchair for short distances. And sadly, yesterday I stood up from the recliner at my dad's..and couldn't put weight on my feet. The pain is not fully back...but it is definitely worsening.
Then last Thursday I had an MRI of my right (my "good" ) ankle. And the doctor sent me those results. It's not good (why am I not surprised?)...a mixed bag of degenerative arthritis and inflammatory damages and arthritis. The ankle joint is bone on bone and something needs to be done, but I think that a joint fusion is not the answer. Anything that makes you pray to die for 18 months is something to maybe be avoided the second time.
Fenelon is one of my favorite teachers of old in regard to my faith. His writings always prompt me to ponder. The book I'm reading is put out by Christian Classics and is called Meditations on the Heart of God.
Yesterday's reading caused me to stop and think. He said that it is not enough for a believer to think, pray, share their faith with other people, or to suffer for Christ. No, we must also in our eating, sleeping and conversation, do so in radical obedience to God. Faith is not something comprised only of our "holy activity"...it is something to be lived out 24/7. It reminds me of this verse:
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.This all calls us to live a life of constancy and faith--with mindfulness. I know "mindfulness" is a baby of the current "religious" climate where Eastern influences have infiltrated our culture. But I want to redeem this word. So much of our faith is a call to mindfulness...we are to have a dual awareness...to be praying constantly and keeping our clarity about obeying the Lord. And to do this we need to step back and observe ourselves and evaluate how we are spending our time, our thought life, our temptations, our charities (meaning every recipient of our love), etc.
Keep in mind your obedience to the direction of the Lord. And to do this we must listen for His voice and eagerly seek to obey it's guidance. And we must be familiar with the voice of the Lord. It is easy to mistake our own thoughts for the words of God....and we are broken down, fallen and flawed. Ours is not that voice you want to seek to obey. In order to adequately live and move and speak and eat and drink within the parameter set by God, we must learn to maintain inner stillness...to BE and to KNOW He is God. Continually drink from the wells of His wisdom and love. Seek His direction.
What does it mean to "eat, drink, sleep, converse" in ways that obey and thereby glorify God? Ahhh. Here we go, some Holy Spirit toe stepping. I think it means we are to be moderate in all things. Not to eat too much. Not to eat things that are not good for our bodies. Not to eat simply to feed our cravings. It means to sleep --not too much (see many warnings in Proverbs about this) and not too little. And to glorify God by our conversation. It does not mean only to keep talking about God. It also means to be polite and not to dominate the conversation. It means to really listen to the others who are speaking and to keep our own speech pure and free from anything that displeases our Lord. It means not to employ gossip or to engage in exaggeration.
You can see, can't you, the need for Mindfulness? I read a book called "Mindful Prayer"--I just looked for it on Amazon to give you a link, but all I could find were Buddhist items and topics. When I go back home I will give you the title and author of this book. We are to stay alert for the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he might destroy. And "alertness" is another way of saying Mindfulness...Keep your inner eyes and ears open. Listen to what God is telling you. Seek perfect obedience. (that is the goal....We will remain fallen creatures and inherently imperfect, but God is a God of grace and forgiveness).
I do want to clarify that any effort stemming from our attempts to obey will fall short of what God intends for us. We must throw ourselves on His mercy daily as ultimately we can never attain perfection in this life. We cannot earn salvation by being perfect. This article is not about gaining salvation. It is about what walking in the newness of life is all about. It is to point to our mindset and to shine light into the heart's dark regions and it is to say that God wants ALL of us. Every aspect of our lives is to be surrendered to Him. There are not two kinds of activities. It means that every aspect of our life is to be holy and yielded to God for His sanctifying.
So it is not only our holy occupations that make us believers who please God....it is also the daily tasks and rhythms of life that need to be surrendered and offered to Adonai and our heart must be focused on Him and seeking to please Him. Be gracious in your speech. Don't dominate conversation. Listen to what people are really saying. Keep you inner eyes focused on the face of Y'shua....and seek to hear and understand His Spirit.
Be blessed, my friends...in this holiday season.
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