Decision: By Faith: Prayers and Poetry

Decision

A time comes for each of us

to measure paths,

evaluate possibilities

not only for direction

but attitude and purpose,

‘when he was fully grown.’

Time varies. For each the

crossroad differs. Choice same.

narrow—wide

truth—deceit

faith stands as marker to

invisible signpost.

Psalm 104:25, “There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Animals both small and great.”

Reflection Questions: Decision: By Faith: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1. What circumstances trigger a backwards look in your attitude?

2. Is the reason to not repeat mistakes, or a wish to return to old ways?

3. Does it affect yourself alone or does it include relationships around you?

4. When can a memory escape refresh you?

Share: How do you stop second-guessing from interfering with your direction?

Decision: By Faith: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11: 15, “If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had the opportunity to return.”

Decision

Have you ever wrestled through a major life decision, taken the next step of faith, and known it has been the right choice? And then weeks or months, or sometimes even years, later begin to reflect on that decision and wonder if? Or should I turn back now?

And the answer is no, so you keep going forward. But the memories tug.

Memories are a joy and a blessing, unless we turn them into a longing to escape from today. Or become an obstacle when we re-live past pain and allow its emotional paralysis to infect us now.

And the past’s grip can keep us from new guidance and new opportunities.

We can let emotions alone rule our decisions. We can get stuck in the familiar because it somehow feels safe because it is knowable—controllable. Even the heartaches and disappointments can become a soft jail. 

And the strangers and exiles on this faith journey had no long-term blueprint.

Whatever the hold on their past once was, whether good or bad, they broke it to walk towards God’s definition of freedom. Not an easy walk—maybe even more challenging than they had ever done before.

And they walked with the Lord God, Jehovah. Emmanuel—God with us.

Your thoughts,

Decision: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

                       Decision

                        Law now fulfilled

                        choice now to accept

                        live each day either

                        by flesh or by Spirit

                        leave self cravings

                        that manipulate

                        larger instead of

                        restoration by

                        love’s eternal caress

                        crossroad decision

                        leaves permanent markings.

Portal: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Romans 8: 4

“So that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Fulfillment. Decision. Choice. Hesitate. Why?

The requirement has been fulfilled—a done deal—whether we participate or not. Grace still waits for our willingness to commit. No coercion. No forced action.

The door is open and the good news is cried out to all who will hear. And yet we often linger, wait a bit longer to choose whether to accept, to enter into a new relationship that will upend our lives forever.

Still in shock at the magnitude of love? Still trying to absorb a gift that cannot be grasped and managed into our self-control? Still clinging to the possibility that we can be fixed by our own determination?

So we hesitate at the gate. Wondering. Hoping. Waiting for courage to accept.

Maybe we take the first few steps thinking we can do both. Listen to wisdom prompts but then adjust them to our personal style—still be in charge. Limited by the power we can recognize. We try to hide pieces of our hearts, just in case this new relationship fails.

Except then we are still not walking in fellowship freedom because we know not to fully trust ourselves and we don’t know how to trust the unknown path before us.

A daily crossroad. A daily decision. A daily opportunity. Walk in the Spirit.

Lord, show us how to listen and to trust where Your Spirit leads.

Psalm of Worship: Proverbs 8:3

“Beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Decision

A time comes for each of us

to measure paths,

evaluate possibilities

not only for direction

but attitude and purpose,

‘when he was fully grown.’

Time varies. For each the

crossroad differs. Choice same.

narrow—wide

truth—deceit

faith stands as marker to

invisible signpost.

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:24, “By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter,”

Pharaoh’s daughter rescued Moses from the Nile. She knew he was a Hebrew baby and yet made her choice to save him. Her heart opened in pity. She named him gave him life, education, wealth and influence. She was a key part of his upbringing. How painful for her experience the rejection. How difficult it must have been to reject the good she had given.

Yet, to choose to stay and accept her inheritance and all the worldly power that it encompassed would pull Moses away from God’s call on his heart.  Away from his compassion for his still enslaved people. Did he wrestle with whether he could work from within the power system to bring about change?

So often our choices are not as clear as good versus bad, but a mixture of both. And to step out in faith costs. It’s so hard to let go of relationships or place or opportunity—even in our high tech communication world.

“When he was grown” then Moses’ time for a decision of faith came. Henry T. Blackaby in his book Experiencing God refers to this as a time to adjust our lives to God.

Although he might not have recognized it, Moses did not come unprepared to this crossroad. He had the example of both his own family, whose faith placed him in the river, and the courage of his adopted mother to deny the Pharoah’s edict. Both choosing life—a gift of physical life. Now Moses came to the point of choosing soul life—a faith walk life.

Lord, we each need Your guidance and clarity to discern when Your truth asks us to change our heart into a new step of faith. Even when it means stepping away from blessings.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 25:4-5

“Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; Teach me Thy paths.

Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation;

For Thee I wait all the day.”