Why is it so hard to spend time with the Lord, the Creator of the Universe who wants to spend time with me, the One who is my Provider and Sustainer and Protector? What is up with that? It's like I'm too selfish or something. When Boston takes a nap, I just want to do nothing (nothing means eat popcorn and watch crap on tv)! So, my prayer today is that the Lord with light a fire in my heart to want to know Him better, to show me how to manage my time better, and to be disciplined. Here's the Scripture He showed me today, courtesy of a Desiring God e-mail I receieve from John Piper everyday. I don't always open them immediately, but I did today and how fitting:
John 15:6 - "If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned."
John 8:31 - "If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples."
Post Hurricane Ike- our front yard, side yard, back yard, front porch, and entire driveway is COVERED in branches and leaves that fell. I can't describe well enough that they are everywhere. Like, you can't see the cement on the driveway - you just see broken branches and leaves. Boston thinks it's cool because he likes "sticks" and now he can pick one up each time we go outside. But anyway, it totally paints a visual for me - my yard is full of the Christians in this world who choose not to abide in Christ, who decide to sit on the couch and eat popcorn rather than be intimate with the Lord! And what happens to those branches, they will be raked into pile, set out at the edge of the driveway with my trash, picked up on big trash day, and burned up! I don't want that to be me. Thank you, Lord, for painting that picture in my mind. Thank you for being there the moment I begin to seek You out. Thank you for convicting my heart today to abide in you. I want to be your true disciple. your follower, someone who radiates Christ to the rest of the world.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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Dear friend and sis in Christ,
As a sister in blog also, I wanted to just encourage you today. I admire your desire to change and be that which God wants you to be. I have been moved in my life to that calling and I got to tell you it is the greatest thing I have and the only thing I have in this life. My life is so different now. I have always been a focused person but not always a focused on the Lord person, which is sad but true. I actually do things that are meaningful and spend time with the Lord in my every day, in my every moment, my education, my art, my relationships, my husband, my walks and all that surrounds me. Now that He is sitting at the throne of my heart, I am a different Carmen. I guess I have changed some. I always loved life and was a passionate person about a lot of things, but now, I crave Him more than anything because I see Him everywhere and in everything. Change can be a lovely thing but it is an awesome thing when it nears us to Him because with every step we near Him, the more like Christ we become, and the more like Christ we become, I believe, the more abundant with His joy and understanding of who He really is our lives will be. When I really began to understand who He really is, I started to understand how much I need Him and how little I have without Him. After this, everything changed for me.I found joy. So, yes, my sister, you can say no to bad habits and habits that do not help you grow spiritually. For me it is so easy to put my mind on the Lord. I go outside and see a little critter and I am just nuts over the Lord. I think "How amazing" and when I sit inside, it can be something small, like rain drops falling on my kitchen window, and I praise the Lord because He created such beautiful things for us to enjoy. So, don't beat yourself too hard, you still have lots of opportunities to grow out of habits and I am here to encourage you. Maybe we can encourage one another : )
If you ever want to check my blog, please come visit. I have been waiting to find a blog-pal.
Love your way,
Carmen A. Smith
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