Washing Dishes and Life

I was washing the dishes one night and I remembered that when I was in eighth grade, I took a home economics class. We learned the proper way to set a table and how to wash dishes. This is something probably few people think about now because many of us have a dishwasher. The proper way to wash the dishes is to wash the least dirty/greasy things first, like glasses and silverware, then the dishes and then the pots and pans. If we did it in reverse, then the water would be too dirty/greasy to wash the glasses well.

As I thought about the proper way of washing dishes, I started thinking about our lives. We can live our lives according to our own understanding and oftentimes accomplish much. Sometimes this includes living a life of stress, confusion, and drama. But is this the most efficient and effective way of living our lives?

Let's look at what the author of all creation has to say about this. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." God has great plans for each of us, but how do we find out what that is? Read the Bible. It is full of instructions about how to live your best life. For example, Proverbs has 31 chapters, one for each day, and is filled with guidance. And you will find more throughout the Bible.

Jesus said in John 16:7 and John 14:26. that after He went away, He would send the Holy Spirit to teach us all things. The Holy Spirit has been described as our Helper, our Counselor, our Comfort, our Guide, one who will lead us in all the truth. So if we want to know the most efficient, effective way to live our lives, before reading and meditating on the Scriptures you read, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to you for your life. As you meditate and listen, He will lead you and guide you in the way you should go.

As I was thinking about instructions, I thought that most of us resist reading the instructions. Think about the times you purchased something that needed to be assembled - a toy, a bookcase, etc. Many of us just take the parts out of the box and start assembling. This works sometimes, and other times we finish the project and realize that we have extra pieces left over or the item was not put together correctly, so we decide to read the directions and start over so that we can get it right.

Many of us go through life like that also. Muddling through, doing the best that we can until one day we realize that there must be a better way. That's the day we turn to the Lord to ask His help. Fortunately for us, He is always there, ready and willing to help. As I said in last week's post. When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Are you ready to read the instructions, listen for guidance in order to live your best life? I hope so. God bless your efforts and give you understanding.

What If? continued

Last week I wrote about being obedient to God and posed the question, "What if" we were. I am continuing my experiment of trying to respond each time I feel a nudge from the Lord. Sometimes I have been more successful than others, but I believe that God knows my heart and will

continue to help me along the way.

As I was thinking about why we should be obedient, I thought about the book of Deuteronomy. To set the stage, the scriptures I will share were shared with the Israelites just before they were going to enter the promised land. The generation that had been set free from slavery in Egypt had died off and the second generation were about to enter the land that God had promised to their ancestors. It was important for this second generation to hear the promises of God for themselves and make a choice and commitment to obey the commandments of the Lord. I think it is important to revisit these promises now, in our lifetime, so that we too will be aware of what they are.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NIV (Moses is speaking) "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.

But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You shall not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants., by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him:..."

God loves us more than we can imagine and would love to have an intimate relationship with us, but we have free will to choose. Will we do things our way and distance ourselves from the Lord, or will we do things God's way and have more blessings and peace than we could ever imagine. The choice is our to make.

Remember, God will meet you where ever you are at. So no matter how far you feel you are from God or how much you feel you have sinned and could never be forgiven, there is always hope in Christ. He died for our sins to reconcile us to God, so that we could have a close relationship with our Father God, Christ, our brother, and the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is turn toward the Lord, ask for forgiveness and accept Jesus as our Savior. Please choose life.

Prayer is Powerful

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (Note: when confessing your sins to one another, there is no need to share every detail, lest the person with whom you are sharing would be tempted to sin).

I went to a funeral today for a young lady who had a bright future and who was a joy and light within her family. It was tragic for us to lose her, of course, but in spite of the sadness of our loss, one could feel the presence of the peace of God at her funeral. And that presence is beyond measure. It is like God wrapping His arms around us when we are in times of trouble. Before the young woman's death, her mother sensed the Lord telling her to "pray your children home". The mother felt as though something ominous was in the near future, but she didn't know what. She was obedient to pray more fervently than she normally would, and I think that helped bring God's peace to her and the family.

It reminded me of my husband John talking about his grandfather, who John felt was the most holy man he had ever met. John's grandfather would walk around the yard each evening, praying and calling out each person's name - all his children, grandchildren and others for whom he prayed. John always believed that his grandfather's prayers are what sustained him for his entire life. John followed his grandfather's example of constant and fervent prayer. Now I try to follow John's example also.

One thing that encourages me is what the scripture says: "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective". From my perspective, that is a great promise to us that our prayers are heard and that God is working on answering them. Of course we are not righteous of ourselves, but we are made righteous through our relationship to Jesus Christ.

So I would encourage you to take heed. Keep praying in the name of Jesus Christ for all those you love and scripture says even pray for your enemies. The important thing is to keep praying because your prayers are powerful and effective. Knowing that, you can rest in knowing that God is at work to answer your prayers. God bless all of you.