Reflection: Change: Purpose: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1. What does fruitful labor look like to you?

2. What barriers continue to erode your trust in daily actions and choices?

3. What do you need to change to become available to the Lord’s plans?

Share: What kind of barrier have you faced recently?

Change: Purpose: Prayers and Poetry

Philippians 1:21-22, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

Change

To live is Christ, and yet we still do not often know what that means in day-by-day labor. Especially when, too often, we can barely recognize the next step ahead of us. Needs, demands, and opportunities can change as quickly as the weather.

Our daily demands can have us so self-absorbed that the concept of fruitful labor, or to ask whether we are on the right path, is buried in busyness.

Yet we do know that the Lord is present and we can choose to trust that He can and will use us for any purpose. Especially if we open ourselves to His will in His time. His work through us will happen. Even in the busy days.

Lord, please help us to co-operate. Please keep our whole selves available to Your plans, so that we may not waste our days.

Your thoughts,

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Regardless of whether you love to move from place to place or resist ever leaving, what does your heart ache for the most when a change is required? What does it anticipate the most?

2.     What ‘move’ do you sense God is nudging you to consider in your life right now: emotionally or physically or spiritually?

3.     Is it drawing you closer to the Lord in trust or putting up a wedge in your relationship? Why?

Share: How has God blessed a step of faith for you this week?

Kingdom Manna

Intercede

Acts 28:31, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Cowering in fear, behind locked doors, Jesus’ disciples hid. Cringing at each knock, burrowing into sorrow. Grief over His death, lost hope over dreams; their desire now only to hide from authorities and gossipmongers.

Preaching boldly before crowds. Teaching in the temple. Speaking publicly to their rules, elders, scribes and people. Uncowed by prison, unmoved by threats, unstopped by whippings.

Changed by the realization of Christ’s resurrection. Cloaked in the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples recognized and accepted the fact—the reality—of Jesus’ deliverance. Internal hindrances removed, exterior hindrances overcome; they spoke.

Push away my fears and timidity. Prompt me Lord to speak Your words openly as I follow Your leading. Nature proclaims You. No one can stop its witness to You. Help me to be as obvious.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 97: 6-7

The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.

All worshippers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in

worthless idols; all gods bow before him.

Kingdom Manna

Yoke

Matthew 13:31, He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field;”

Power packaged in a small parcel. We tend to ignore or disdain the ‘least’ whether people or property. Who can doubt, though, the sting of a wasp, the persistence of a fly, the determination of an ant?

Mustard seeds are among the smallest of plants yet produce a rapid, abundant, visible harvest. Tiny start. Tremendous yield. Continuous miracle that from minuscule seeds grow crops and flowers and trees. Beginnings unseen buried in a dark earth their shells split, their inner life tumbles out, and multiplies.

Protected at first. Before they reach the surface and the blast of wind and sun. Hidden until the right time. Secure until their strength will stand the barrage.

Mysterious germination. Seeds of vegetation, seeds of life, seeds of faith. Disturbing the confines of their space, insisting on change.

Potential growth or possible blight. Where am I seeded Lord? In Your word, or in the world. In a hidden life of prayer, or a hothouse of pride? Plant Your life in me. Crack open my self-contained shell and grow me up in You, Lord. Into kingdom fields.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 92:12-13

The righteous flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.