Friday, August 20, 2021
Greetings, Dear Friends in Christ –
I trust God to continue to cover you with His Divine grace, love and favor, as you seek to live your life in Christ. Today’s Selah blog post, “Intentional,” is intentional. Normally, I try not to repeat words so closely together, but in this case, I am doing so . . . here we go again, intentionally!
I was thinking about how we live—whether we plan or decide to just let things happen. While it’s sometimes nice (and maybe a bit liberating) to do the latter, it’s a good practice to be intentional about how we live. Whether it’s getting another degree, starting a hobby, losing weight, ridding ourselves of some bad habit, setting aside time to be with the Lord, spending more time with family and friends, or some other good practice, being intentional should be a part of the plan (a spiritual discipline). Otherwise, what I hope for (in terms of those things that are within my control) might not ever happen.
One thing I don’t want to do is to the waste the time the Lord has given me to live. Time is a gift that I take seriously. And we know, as the preacher of Ecclesiastes tells us there is a purpose for every time under heaven. Now, this does not mean that I attempt to plan the entire course of my life. That would really be impossible—and tiring! I believe there is a time to do, and equally, a time to be. Things happen; situations change; and much of life is out of our control. However, God empowers us to accomplish certain things.
Reinhold Niebuhr, in “The Serenity Prayer,” begins with these familiar words:
God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.
Here is the challenge—to know what is up to me to change and what is not. As the Serenity Prayer counsels, wisdom is the principle thing. In order for me, for example, to stop procrastinating, to stop living beneath what God has ordained for me, to stop believing the lies of the enemy, and start holding onto God’s promises for me, I have to think intentionally! I have to do things on purpose—rooted in God’s plans for me. I have to stop listening to people, who speak against what God is (clearly) directing me to do. I must know what I can change, and what I must accept. I must intentionally seek to know what God requires. This is part of maturing in Christ.
I pray, today, that you and I will be intentional about the way we live:
Intentionally serving.
Intentionally loving.
Intentionally believing.
Intentionally giving.
Intentionally hoping.
Intentionally knowing that God is with us!
Be intentional in living life with Christ—that is, on purpose!
And may our God, Who intentionally created you, rest upon you—giving you the grace, courage, and wisdom to overcome any obstacle; and, by His Spirit, breathe into you His breath to sustain you on your path. May He grant you people in your life to be intentionally with you.
You are a jewel . . . .
Until next time, My Friend,
Selah