Into the Heart of the Potter

Dear Lord; Happy Thursday, and Happy New Year Father!

To begin the New Year on the right foot Father, yesterday morning I began a new Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion.com called “The Essential Jesus”.  It’s a 100 day reading schedule, focused specifically on the prophecy, teachings, ministry and life of Your Son as written in Scripture.

The first reading covered the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 18; and while the entire passage gave me pause for prayer and reflection more than once, one verse in particular really spoke to me…

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.” – John 1:10 (NLT)

Ouch.

How many times Lord…

How many times have I rejoiced at something wonderful that’s happened in my life, but neglected to give You the glory…  Or marveled at the beauty of the sun boiling away as it sets behind the trees, yet failed to remember that those colors are fresh from Your divine palette…

If I’m honest with myself Father, I allow the world to captivate my view far more than I recognize the Hand that shaped it.

Therefore Lord, my prayer today is a simple one:

Open my eyes Father; let every image I see and every sound I hear rush You to my heart.  Help me see past the beauty of the pottery, and gaze instead into the heart of the potter.

Lift that earthly veil Lord; help me realize Your presence in every part of my life, and through that divine acknowledgement to love in Your name with abandon…

So that when others observe my life Father, they recognize You in it.

Inhabit me Lord… Come into the world through me…

That in my words and actions Lord, Your presence shines for all to see.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

A True Resolution for Change

“Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” – 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (NLT)

True change begins when we accept Christ into our hearts and give ourselves fully to His care.  When we live in Him, our identity and direction are no longer constrained by the way the world sees us, but are instead freed to experience the peace and joy He desires for our lives.  Therefore, as we approach this New Year and the world pulls at us to make resolutions for change, all we need do is draw closer within the gentle embrace of our Savior and allow Him to transform us.

That Will Be For All The People

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”” – Luke 2:8-12 (ESV)

To herald the arrival of His Perfect Lamb, God didn’t direct His angels to alert royalty, nor to court the attention of religious leaders; instead they were directed to the company of pious, simple shepherds, alone in a field, tending their flocks.  God’s miracles are not reserved for those of influence or position, but instead are offered freely to all of His beloved children.

A Matter of Trust

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

People frustrate me Father… Or should I say, I allow people to frustrate me.

And yet, in truth it’s not other people that are the cause of my angst Lord, it’s the unmet expectations I regularly place on them; thrusting undue responsibility on earthly shoulders to fulfill my perception of need.

But that’s not really fair, now is it Father…

To begin with, more often than not what I feel my needs are isn’t based on seeking Your direction for me, but instead on my reacting to a situation I’m in the middle of.  And while I feel my journey to You has brought me ever closer to discerning Your will in my day-to-day life, I’m fully aware I still have a long way to travel.

So, right out of the gate Father, I readily concede that my perception of need is quite often, flawed.

Then to compound that Lord, quite often I drag those around me along for the ride; shackling others to my sense of fulfillment, and finding myself feeling empty when those artificial requirements aren’t met.

In the end Father, I know it’s all a matter of trust;

Trust that You know my needs Lord, far better than I or anyone else does…

Trust that You love me; completely and with a purity that no one on this earth can match…

Trust that Your ways are best Father, whether they’re what I think I want or not…

And finally Lord, trust that You can and will move Heaven and earth to do what’s truly best, whether I know what that is or not…

Complete faith… Complete trust in You Father…

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

It’s a tall order for my flawed, easily distracted heart Lord, but it’s a goal I strive to realize with every passing day.

Infuse me with Your spirit Father; make Your will my heartbeat, and the sound of Your voice define my every waking thought…

Relinquishing the worldly tethers I cling to,

And placing all faith in Your Holy hands…

I trust You Lord.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Footprints in the Sand

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

As the Labor Day weekend beckons me welcome Lord, I find my spirit more at ease; bolstered by the coming days of rest no doubt, but mainly fueled by a reminder of Your divine and loving nature.

I feel as if I’ve been treading water lately Father; constantly shifting focus in an attempt to quell the rising trials, yet never gaining ground.  More than once in recent weeks Lord, those waves of fear and doubt have sought my breath, and left me weakened.  And yet Father, even while that sinister undertow threatened my heart’s footing…

I knew You were with me.

The “waters” have receded a bit these past few days Lord, delightfully revealing what I felt all along…

Your footprints in the sand, right next to mine.

Thank You Father; for being my anchor against the raging tide, even when I couldn’t see the rope.

As I continue to list some of Your many Blessings in my life Lord, today I’m feeling particularly grateful for:

621. The wonderful summer break my children have had, and that they’re heading back to school on Tuesday excited and refreshed.

622. The revealing and powerful video study our Tuesday night small group has been doing on the Beatitudes, and the truths You’ve brought us through those discussions.

623. Reconnecting with a friend I’ve not heard from in a while.

624. A fun time spent with friends at a BBQ this past Saturday.

625. A visit from a dear friend last weekend, and the visit of another one this coming weekend.

626. My son Jonathan being confirmed as a member of Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC this past Sunday.

627. Seeing Your light overcome pain, fear and doubt in the heart of a dear friend.

628. A new job for a close friend and young Christian after a long period of unemployment, and the fact his negotiations included the need for time off to attend church and our Tuesday night group studies.  🙂

629. A wonderful new job opportunity for my wife Shannon, and the call You’ve placed on her life to shape young minds and hearts.

630. The radical forgiveness modeled by our Savior on the cross, and the inspiration to strive towards that grace in my own life.

And so many more…

Heavenly Father,

I thank You Lord, for the many Blessings You grace us with each and every day; both those that shine like a lighthouse in the night, and those “hidden ropes” that anchor us to Your strength.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil