Making the Word Come Alive

“Remain in Me…let My words remain in you…”

I can trace my life each week–my feelings, my behaviors, my thoughts–simply by the time I spend in God’s word and in His presence.

More tired, snippy, impatient? Yep, I skimped on time with Him. Sorry to people who dealt with me last week!

Quick to assume and to judge and angry? Yep, I did not take time to quiet my soul and listen to Him and instead started with my to-do list.

More anxious and critical and less grounded? It tells the story of being disconnected from the Father and overly connected to the noise outside of me.

The more I am aware of my tendencies and the way I work, the more my excuses don’t have validity. My thoughts (what I am feeding them to focus on) lead to my feelings (how I see and experience the world and myself) which leads to my behavior (how I chose to act and interact).

The Holy Creator-Redeemer-Shepherd-Sustainer knows this quite well. In fact, He lived it on this Earth. Yes, Even God-Man himself, Jesus, pulled away to pray, to be renewed, to commune with His Father. People were CLAMORING for Him…literally following Him around the countryside NEEDING him. He had 12 guys who left everything they knew to FOLLOW Him, and He would go MIA. His disciples were dumbfounded…how could He when this _________ was needed?

Jesus, perfect Jesus, knew that His thoughts affected His feelings which affected His behaviors. He was tempted. He was tired. He felt the weight of humanity around Him in His human body. He gave us a template for living life in the battle. We are to commune with the Father just as He did. And…let us all be reminded that NOTHING on our to-do list was as important as what was on His.

This is countercultural to a mentality to busy things up…to take care of business…to produce, produce, produce. In fact, just like Jesus, if we follow this template, we are going to tick some people off. They will not like or understand the boundary. They might criticize and shame you and question your commitment. However, I am here to tell you…following your own wisdom and the pace that this world sets for you WILL devour your soul. You will be rendered ineffective. You “don’t got this.” You are one who needs refreshment from the Father, reminders of Hope, renewal in the Spirit, a clothing of His character. He is God, and you are not.

So, if you wonder how in the world do I even do this? I will give you snippets over the coming weeks. One way that is huge for me is to meditate on scripture–by posting it, singing it, praying it. Sometimes it even comes into my art….