Greetings in the joy and grace of our Lord!
I pray that you are all having a wonderful summer so far. My family is getting ready to go on vacation this week, so this is my last post for the month. I will be back at it again when I return to the office on July 6th.
As we get ready for our vacation, I am coming to realize that I need a vacation from the work that it takes to get out of town for a little while. I try to get ahead in my work at the church so that I don't have too much waiting for me upon my return. Mandy likes to make sure the house is really clean for our housesitter and so that we have a clean house when we get back. I need to make sure that the car is in good working order, that certain bills are paid before we leave, that our itinerary is set, and that we are able to pack "light" for our trip.
There is so much work to be done, I am taking a couple days off before we leave to try to accomplish everything and to try to unwind before I leave for vacation. Whether that is realistic or not, time will tell, but that is the plan.
It is amazing the preparations we need to make for the journeys we take. As I spend the next couple of days getting ready to leave for a week, the thought crosses my mind, "Am I this intentional with my spiritual journey?" "Do I put as much thought into being sure that I am prepared for my daily walk with God?"
Preparation is important to a vital Christian life. We are encouraged in 1 Peter 3:15 to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have." Like a good athlete or musician, if I am not practicing the basics of my faith, then I am not preparing myself for those times when my faith will be challenged and those times when others may ask where my faith is grounded.
If I am not praying, reading my Bible, going to church, being involved in worship and outreach, and giving myself fully to God, I will find that I am not adequately prepared for the detours, u-turns, and dead ends that creep into my life. When those obstacles get in my way I quickly become discouraged and it is hard to make my way out of the maze I find myself in.
However, when I make the conscious effort to actively engage God and His activity in my life, when I commit myself to practicing my faith and staying in love with God, I find that when those obstacles get in my way, I am prepared and I have the ability to overcome and find my way back to the One who is always willing to guide and lead me on my life journey. Besides that, I feel better equipped to share in whom my faith is grounded and in whom my hope is found - because I have a daily experience with Jesus in my life.
While I need to be prepared for my vacation, more importantly I need to be prepared for the most important journey of my life - my spiritual journey! What preparations do you need to make?
God of Life, You are my guide and my helper. Thank you for Your Son is the cornerstone of my faith. Thank you for walking with me and preparing me for the challenges that life brings. Reveal to me the areas of my life that are not fully grounded in Your grace. Destroy the obstacles that keep me from living my life with You and prepare within me a heart that is grounded in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
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