As a pre-nursing student I am currently, have just recently, and will in the future study science. We refreshed our memories of enzymes in Biology 103, and now in Biology 220 (Microbiology) are learning about enzymes once again. What is an enzyme, and what does it have to do with a devotion? (written 28 Feb 08)
An enzyme is a catalyst. It binds temporarily to one or more of the substrates of the reaction that it catalyzes, lowers the amount of activation energy needed, and speeds up the reaction. The further the enzyme from the substrate, the weaker the bond. For a successful bond, the enzyme must fit the substrate like a key fits a lock. An enzyme is the catalyst for only one chemical reaction and some enzymes also require a cofactor. Guess what? An enzyme is also not changed by the reaction.
Before you think that this will be a scientific devotion, both my biology teachers can attest to the fact that I am far from a scientist! Why did this even come to mind? Look at it this way: Jesus is like an enzyme, and better than an enzyme. Without Him, I have to expend far more energy that I may ever hope to generate to achieve a result that is less than optimal. Turning my life over to Him and trusting in Him and His love allows me to go higher, reach farther, while expending less energy - AND the end result is wonderful!! Unlike an enzyme, He is the catalyst for all who believe in and accept Him. Bonding with Jesus is not a temporary thing, He will be our enzyme forever! Making us complete takes nothing away from Him ... it doesn't change Him at all, it only changes us for the better.
I guess what it breaks down to is this: He can make me so much more than I can ever hope to achieve on my own. By trusting and believing in Him, I work smarter and go farther. The farther I am from Jesus and His love, the weaker our bond. When I envelop His love into my heart and life, I expand my capabilities! Now if I could just bring up that Bio 201 grade ... (study harder, study smarter ...)
Jesus, thank you for being the enzyme that makes my life complete. Help me to become what you would have me to be.
"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" ~John 6:35 NIV
15 March 2009
Standing on the Promises
Remember the hymn "Standing on the Promises?" It was written by R. Kelso Carter in 1886. Why does Dr. Carter stand out in my mind? Well, the words of his song, for one thing. And no, that's not a typo, Dr. Carter began his career as an educator, teaching chemistry, engineering, and mathematics at the Pennsylvania Military Academy. He was ordained as a minister in 1887, and finished his career as a physician. What an accomplished life! (written 26 Feb 08)
Think about what those lyrics mean, "standing on the promises." We are trusting that Jesus will not fail us, that we have a solid base to stand upon. And we do. As you may know by now, I like to analyze song lyrics. A quote I read some time ago (unfortunately I cannot remember who said it!) said that "song lyrics mean whatever the person hearing them thinks they mean." That makes sense, I guess. My translation or interpretation may be far different from yours ... that does not make either of us wrong. Sharing viewpoints may give both of us a deeper understanding. Anyway, back to the lyrics.
The second verse says:
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Because we believe what God promised, there is no storm that we cannot weather. We have faith in His ability to bring us through the trials we may face in our life. I believe, and I shall win, because I have God on my side. Note that it does not say that we will never have trials or tribulations, only that we shall prevail (win).
The final verse reminds us that we need to heed God's voice. Remember, He doesn't always shout. Sometimes, He whispers. What was that phrase mama said? You have two ears and one mouth, you should listen twice as much as you talk. (I'm relatively certain that mama still thinks that.)
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
Listen, trust, believe. You will achieve.
God, I thank you for the promises that keep me secure and upright. I thank you for the whispers, and for bopping me on the head with the shouts when needed. Teach me to open my ears and hear the whispers more clearly.
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." ~Hebrews 10:23 NIV
Think about what those lyrics mean, "standing on the promises." We are trusting that Jesus will not fail us, that we have a solid base to stand upon. And we do. As you may know by now, I like to analyze song lyrics. A quote I read some time ago (unfortunately I cannot remember who said it!) said that "song lyrics mean whatever the person hearing them thinks they mean." That makes sense, I guess. My translation or interpretation may be far different from yours ... that does not make either of us wrong. Sharing viewpoints may give both of us a deeper understanding. Anyway, back to the lyrics.
The second verse says:
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Because we believe what God promised, there is no storm that we cannot weather. We have faith in His ability to bring us through the trials we may face in our life. I believe, and I shall win, because I have God on my side. Note that it does not say that we will never have trials or tribulations, only that we shall prevail (win).
The final verse reminds us that we need to heed God's voice. Remember, He doesn't always shout. Sometimes, He whispers. What was that phrase mama said? You have two ears and one mouth, you should listen twice as much as you talk. (I'm relatively certain that mama still thinks that.)
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
Listen, trust, believe. You will achieve.
God, I thank you for the promises that keep me secure and upright. I thank you for the whispers, and for bopping me on the head with the shouts when needed. Teach me to open my ears and hear the whispers more clearly.
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." ~Hebrews 10:23 NIV
On Target
I don't usually know what I'm going to say when I sit down to write. It is actually a rare occasion when I have the devotion "pre-written" if you will, with strong ideas and phrases in my head just waiting for my fingertips to convert them to sentences. They all, of course, begin with an idea of some type. Today's devotion actually was floating in my head as a tribute to the rain (gee, I wonder why?). I sat down and opened up to write, skimming emails along the way. I received one from Mac Anderson (Simple Truths) in which he was offering a discounted price on a work written by Robin Crow, owner of Dark Horse Recording. A phrase in the book's summation hit me like a shot, producing one of those "duh!" moments. (written 21 Feb 08)
The book Mac Anderson is offering, Rock Solid Leadership, is written by Robin Crow. The section shared from the book is titled "Responsibility," and offers some rather eye-opening thoughts. What struck me so vividly that I totally changed my topic for today? A 14-word sentence (yes, I counted) that began the final summation paragraph.
Remember, failure to hit the bull's eye is never the fault of the target.
Think about that. It is not the target's fault if you miss, it's yours. It is not my teacher's fault if I do not pass my test, it is mine. It is not my coworker's fault if I fail to complete a task, it is mine. If I fail to live as Jesus would have me do, it is not Jesus' fault, it is mine.
Just as Jesus accepted responsibility for our sins by stretching His arms out to die on the cross, we must accept responsibility for our own walk with the Lord. He gives us the tools, all the support we could possibly dream of having, and a reward (eternal life with Him)! If we fail to honor the responsibility, fail to live as His children, it is OUR fault. Whether you are the leader of the 2-year old nursery, the carpool parent, the young (or not-so-young) college student, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company ... the responsibility for your actions is simply that: your own.
Jesus, please help me to stay on target and focus on the life that you would have me lead. Remind me of the boundless love and generosity that you have bestowed, and continue to bestow, upon me. Help me not to fail. and allow me the ability to help others.
"How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." ~Matthew 7:4-5 NIV
The book Mac Anderson is offering, Rock Solid Leadership, is written by Robin Crow. The section shared from the book is titled "Responsibility," and offers some rather eye-opening thoughts. What struck me so vividly that I totally changed my topic for today? A 14-word sentence (yes, I counted) that began the final summation paragraph.
Remember, failure to hit the bull's eye is never the fault of the target.
Think about that. It is not the target's fault if you miss, it's yours. It is not my teacher's fault if I do not pass my test, it is mine. It is not my coworker's fault if I fail to complete a task, it is mine. If I fail to live as Jesus would have me do, it is not Jesus' fault, it is mine.
Just as Jesus accepted responsibility for our sins by stretching His arms out to die on the cross, we must accept responsibility for our own walk with the Lord. He gives us the tools, all the support we could possibly dream of having, and a reward (eternal life with Him)! If we fail to honor the responsibility, fail to live as His children, it is OUR fault. Whether you are the leader of the 2-year old nursery, the carpool parent, the young (or not-so-young) college student, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company ... the responsibility for your actions is simply that: your own.
Jesus, please help me to stay on target and focus on the life that you would have me lead. Remind me of the boundless love and generosity that you have bestowed, and continue to bestow, upon me. Help me not to fail. and allow me the ability to help others.
"How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." ~Matthew 7:4-5 NIV
31 January 2009
Peace Within
Think of the feeling you get when everything goes as it should. There is an inner feeling that at times defies description, almost as if a calming wave washes over you and suddenly all is right with your world. You want to smile for no apparent reason (well, to an outsider there is no apparent reason), you are happy. What brings you to that state? (written 20 Feb 2008)
For most of us, the state is not a continual thing. We have our ups and our downs, our good days and our bad days, our highs and our lows. The Max Lucado book I am starting to read, Cure for the Common Life , calls it a "sweet spot." Not having delved deeply into the book, I can't go any further than that. For those of you that are athletes (or former athletes), the term "sweet spot" is probably extremely familiar. There are all types of terms, and many different meanings we could find that would apply.
I wish I could say that every day was like that for me. Actually, I guess I could say that (I would not be truthful, but I could say it). In reality, there are days when I wake up in the morning wondering how in the world I will make it through. The load (nearly 100% self induced) seems intolerably heavy, with a path almost vertical. I wish I could say that I was that perfectly perky person who jumps out of bed ready to face the day with a smile. In reality, I prefer coffee soon after rising. If I have time to just "chill" before starting my day, that's even better. Under the current circumstances, however, I normally sleep as long as possible before jumping out of bed and rushing to do what needs to be done. I tell myself "one of these days ... ", but we all know how that goes. One day at a time, is more like it.
If I look back at my life, I can recall many times when that feeling of inner peace washed over me like a blanket of calm. Many, many of them have to do with family and the closeness we share. I have a picture taken in the hospital shortly after my granddaughter's birth last year. I'm sitting in the rocking chair in the room, holding her. Just a glance at that photograph can bring on that state, even if only briefly, because it reminds me just how very blessed I feel to be able to have her in my life. Looking at pictures of my children, remembering the last time we were together, can bring on that peace. You do not have to have children to know this peace, we all find our peace in different ways.
The one guaranteed way to find inner peace? Ask Jesus into your life. He is the calm at the center of our storm, and can flood our soul with the much-needed balm of peace. Believe in Him, trust Him to bring you through whatever struggle you feel you are facing. He can, and He will.
God, I thank you for the peace you give me. Help me to be an instrument of your peace, and give me the inner light to smile while sharing your love.
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." ~Mark 12:29-31 NIV
For most of us, the state is not a continual thing. We have our ups and our downs, our good days and our bad days, our highs and our lows. The Max Lucado book I am starting to read, Cure for the Common Life , calls it a "sweet spot." Not having delved deeply into the book, I can't go any further than that. For those of you that are athletes (or former athletes), the term "sweet spot" is probably extremely familiar. There are all types of terms, and many different meanings we could find that would apply.
I wish I could say that every day was like that for me. Actually, I guess I could say that (I would not be truthful, but I could say it). In reality, there are days when I wake up in the morning wondering how in the world I will make it through. The load (nearly 100% self induced) seems intolerably heavy, with a path almost vertical. I wish I could say that I was that perfectly perky person who jumps out of bed ready to face the day with a smile. In reality, I prefer coffee soon after rising. If I have time to just "chill" before starting my day, that's even better. Under the current circumstances, however, I normally sleep as long as possible before jumping out of bed and rushing to do what needs to be done. I tell myself "one of these days ... ", but we all know how that goes. One day at a time, is more like it.
If I look back at my life, I can recall many times when that feeling of inner peace washed over me like a blanket of calm. Many, many of them have to do with family and the closeness we share. I have a picture taken in the hospital shortly after my granddaughter's birth last year. I'm sitting in the rocking chair in the room, holding her. Just a glance at that photograph can bring on that state, even if only briefly, because it reminds me just how very blessed I feel to be able to have her in my life. Looking at pictures of my children, remembering the last time we were together, can bring on that peace. You do not have to have children to know this peace, we all find our peace in different ways.
The one guaranteed way to find inner peace? Ask Jesus into your life. He is the calm at the center of our storm, and can flood our soul with the much-needed balm of peace. Believe in Him, trust Him to bring you through whatever struggle you feel you are facing. He can, and He will.
God, I thank you for the peace you give me. Help me to be an instrument of your peace, and give me the inner light to smile while sharing your love.
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." ~Mark 12:29-31 NIV
I Shall Not Be Moved
In 1950, John Benson, Jr. wrote a song titled "I Shall Not Be Moved." Growing up, going to church on Sundays was not questioned, it was simply done because you wanted to go, not because you had to. Occasionally instead of going to my home church (Circle Hill, Dellwood, then Howard Grove) I would attend services with a friend. One of my best friend Myra's favorite hymns was this John Benson song. For some reason today, the words just popped into my mind when I sat down to write. Because of that, I am drawn to analyze the song and what it means to me. (written 19 Feb 2008)
Throughout the song, Benson repeats the words I shall not be moved. Why is that? Read and think about what he is saying in verse one and in the chorus:
Every verse ends with the same two lines. Why would a tree planted by the waters not be moved? I'm not a scientist, but I would think it boils down to nourishment! The water feeds the roots and keeps them hydrated. Does not the love of God and His mercy hydrate our soul? Why, then, would we move from the endless source of nourishment and hydration? When we move from God, it is our choice, not His.
Nowhere in the song does it say that we will always stand upright. There will be times when we stumble, even times when we fall. If we remain close to the life source that is God's love, however, we will have the strength we need to stand straight once more. Verses three and four remind us that He will never fail our trust. That our trust can and will keep us strong and steadfast in Him. If we nourish ourselves on His word, He will lead us down the path that is ours. What an amazing truth!
God, thank you for being my source of life and nourishment for my soul. Help me to be what you would have me be, help me to pass your message through these words. Thank you for loving me and for being my savior. May I stand fast in your strength, and may I never be moved.
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved." ~Psalm 62:6 KJV
Throughout the song, Benson repeats the words I shall not be moved. Why is that? Read and think about what he is saying in verse one and in the chorus:
Jesus is my Savior, I shall not be moved;
In His love and favor, I shall not be moved,
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters,
Lord, I shall not be moved.
Chorus
I shall not be, I shall not be moved;
I shall not be, I shall not be moved;
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters,
Lord, I shall not be moved.
Every verse ends with the same two lines. Why would a tree planted by the waters not be moved? I'm not a scientist, but I would think it boils down to nourishment! The water feeds the roots and keeps them hydrated. Does not the love of God and His mercy hydrate our soul? Why, then, would we move from the endless source of nourishment and hydration? When we move from God, it is our choice, not His.
Nowhere in the song does it say that we will always stand upright. There will be times when we stumble, even times when we fall. If we remain close to the life source that is God's love, however, we will have the strength we need to stand straight once more. Verses three and four remind us that He will never fail our trust. That our trust can and will keep us strong and steadfast in Him. If we nourish ourselves on His word, He will lead us down the path that is ours. What an amazing truth!
God, thank you for being my source of life and nourishment for my soul. Help me to be what you would have me be, help me to pass your message through these words. Thank you for loving me and for being my savior. May I stand fast in your strength, and may I never be moved.
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved." ~Psalm 62:6 KJV
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
