Preservation While I Wait

[S] Psalm 25:21 --
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

[O] Starting with 25:10, the writer describes a moment of struggle in his life where he had to rely on nothing other than God's providence itself and to know that God will provide the best in His time.  In the end verse 21 puts the icing on the cake by concluding that it is none other but his own integrity and uprightness which will preserve him while he is waiting.

[A] I am proclaiming that my integrity and uprightness be the soul source of strength and courage during my waiting period.

[P] Dear Father, please preserve me as I seem to be walking through the lonely and dark period because without Your promise I really have nothing else to hand on to.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

One Who Hears My Cries

[S] Psalm 40:1 --
 ¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry. 

[O] At first, I'm thinking:  Who is patiently waiting for who here?  Isn't God the one waiting patiently for us to return to Him?  But the writer of this passage in his infinitesimally small perspective of life, only focused on his own tough situation and is crying out to God for help and was comforted by the God of this universe that He had heard the cry.  Is the One who created this world (and me) really inclines to my own selfish cries?  According to this verse, that is a resounding yes!

[A] Today started off with a strange string of events and this verse became the cornerstone of my day, trusting in His power and strength in the midst of the challenging situation.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for preparing my heart for what I was about to face today through this verse.  Your personal care for me (one out 7 billion people) is simply an amazing love.  I love You, too.  In Your Son's name.  Amen.

It Takes Time To Grow

[S] Matthew 13:14-15 --
   ¹⁴"In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
         'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;
         YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;
    ¹⁵FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,
         WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,
         AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,
         OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
         HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
         AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,
         AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'

[O] As I meditated on this well-known parable of the sower, Isaiah's prophecy gave me a new insight.  Verse 14 talks about "keep on ... but will not" which implies the on-going efforts going no where based on choice.  In the end, it's by choice these people refused to understand God's heart even though God repeatedly pursued after them.  The first three locations where the seed fell and yet happened relatively quickly.  Before the seeds didn't even had chances to grow whereas the seed falling on good soil had the ample time to grow and lay the root to soak up the nutrients and thus bear lots of fruits.  In this day and age, we're so used to having things done ASAP that we even transplant the same expectation to spiritual maturity to just happen quickly.  However, it requires a lot of time to grow in Christ and in the end I need to make that choice to take that path.  I will need to choose to understand and to see and hear.

[A] There is no such thing as a short cut in learning -- anything really.  I must first make a commitment to learn and then grow and expect this to take a good length of time.  In light of this: 1) I need to keep up with my Life Journaling every day to soak up God's heart; 2) I need to surrender small group ministry's fruitfulness into God's leadership because this isn't going to be a microwave-oven speed but a crock-pot speed.  I may be slow but it will surely be done in the end.

[P] Dear God, lead me so that I won't be impatient with my growing in You as well as the formation of the small group ministry at church.  Instead of focusing too much on the results, may I focus on the consistency of abiding in You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.