Honesty before God

There is no fooling God. He sees us for who we are. The truth of our sin and the beauty of our newness in Christ.

Christ asks the disciples "Who do you say that I am?"

I think we need to ask ourselves the same question. "Who am I?"

When we are honest we can begin to leave behind the past and live more fully in Christ.

It is a constant examination of the soul. St. Ignatius called it awareness. St. Paul calls us to do it constantly.

Today make your prayer one of honesty. Confess your sin in full. See the new creation you are in Christ. Living in truth. Let your light shine.

Awe

One of the great debates lately is whether scripture is relevant. Does God still have something to say? Or is God still relevant?

I have a question that might help us - What is awe? What inspires, shocks, gives greater meaning, knocks us off our feet, grabs us, throws us into the sacred?

The experience of the shepherds in the fields...awe

God speaking life into existance...awe

David taking on a giant...awe

Paul giving thanks from a jail cell...awe

A sunrise, a sunset, a quiet moment, a prayer, a moment of peace, a hug...awe

What is your moment of awe? God is the originator of all this. Looking back in your life, when you see the amazing above the mundane, there God is.

Exhausted

definition - to be consumed entirely

Yup. That's where I am. It's been a long year. A year in which I have lost family and friends. A year in which I have worried for the health of those around me. A year of retreats, youth groups, concerts, corn mazes, devotions, river floats, youth rallys, silence, lock-in's, pizza, mini-golf, prayers, song, meetings, worship, laughter, mission trips, reading, training, deep conversations, text messaging, instant messaging, email messaging, voice messenging...

So I have to ask, why? Why do we do any of these things? There is only one reason - Christ.

Christ our redeemer - who purchased us in blood.

Christ our brother - who embraces us when we fall.

Christ our comforter - who knows the tears we cry.

Christ our Savior - who gave all that we might live.

As the year comes to and end let us find rest in Christ.

Moments

Our lives are filled with sacred moments. Often we are too distracted to see them. The moments pass us. Sacred moments go unnoticed. God goes unnoticed.

In the breeze.

In the sunshine.

In our meals.

In our rest.

In the music.

In the quiet.

Slow down and notice the sacred moments. God is present. Shouldn't you be?