Meditations Monday: Lessons on a Cold Morning

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

This past weekend Lord, was absolutely wonderful.  Friday night we enjoyed a tasty dinner with friends at our home, and got some much-appreciated assistance moving furniture around for the upcoming Small Group Study we’re hosting which begins next week.  Saturday we joined some friends at the Chesapeake Celtic Festival in Snow Hill, Maryland.  While it was a little on the chilly side (which I was just fine with), we had a fantastic time watching the demonstrations, perusing the crafters’ displays and sampling some period food and drinks.  Sunday began with a rousing church service at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC, followed by an afternoon of catching up on housework, schoolwork and finding time for some much-needed rest.  All-in-all, it was a weekend filled with Your Blessings Father, and I thank You for that time.

As I’ve mentioned Father, it’s been getting progressively chillier here as we edge into Fall’s grip; a very welcome change in my book, I must say.  Well, this morning when I went to take the dogs out back for their morning run, I was greeted with a familiar sign of the season.  As I exhaled, my vision was temporarily clouded as my breath hung in the air before me.

“There’s a lesson here…” I heard You whisper.

“There is?” I thought.  Well Lord, for much of the remaining morning my brain got in the way as I diligently tried to work through what You wanted me to glean from condensing water vapor in the morning chill.  I ran through passage after passage in my head, and finally resolved that You’d let me know when You were ready.

Walking into my office this morning, You once again broke the silence with a simple message:

“Seen, or unseen.”

Ok, that was Scripture I recognized…

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

Reading that Father, I understood exactly what you intended to get through to me this morning…

Sometimes, what we can’t see is far more important than what we can.

Your Holy Spirit is very much like the breath within me; I go through each day rarely considering the necessity of those gasses bringing vital oxygen to my lungs, but without them I would very quickly cease to function, and die.  Unlike this morning, in most cases I can’t see the air I breathe, but it’s there sustaining me all the same.  Along that same line of thought, without Your Holy Spirit within me, my connection to Your eternal presence would be severed, and death would truly be a final act.

It’s absolutely no accident that the Hebrew word for spirit “ruach”, is also translated as “wind”, or “breath”… Just like the cloud that escaped my mouth on this chilly October morning.

What a wonderful lesson to start my week Father.  🙂

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Another 300

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Lord, once again we come to the Thankful Thursday edition of PhatherPhil.org.  My life has virtually overflowed with Your Blessings this past week, so compiling my list of gifts that I’m grateful for was a relatively easy process.

Continuing from the previous week’s list, today I’d like to give special thanks and praise to You for:

286. Having a wife with whom I’m comfortable sharing and discussing absolutely anything.

287. Having the Holy Spirit in my life to guide me in Your will.

288. Some wonderful photo opportunities coming up this weekend.

289. The repair I made to our central air conditioner working perfectly.

290. Revised priorities.

291. Understanding friends.

292. Free ROMs for both my phone and tablet from MIUI.us that make them a pleasure to use.

293. All the seasons in our marriage, and the Blessings they’ve brought us.

294. The laughter of my children.

295. The fellowship, friendship and encouragement I receive from my fellow Christian Bloggers.

296. The shift in weather brought on by moving from summer into fall, and the cooler air it brings.

297. Wonderful inspirations for Christmas crafts.

298. Halloween candy filling the store shelves.  🙂

299. The fellowship we receive from the “Parents Place” small group at church.

300. 300 shared “emails to God”.

(And 300 Thankful Thursday entries now too!  🙂 )

Heavenly Father,

We give thanks Lord, for all the Blessings You bring to our lives each and every day; both those that shout Your presence from the mountaintop, and those that grace us in a gentle whisper.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

A Foundation on the Rock

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

Well Father, once again You Blessed my family and I with another lovely weekend.  As I was still recovering from my week-long illness and Shannon wasn’t feeling 100% either, much of our time was spent resting and “puttering” around the house.  Nonetheless, having that down-time to spend in the presence of those we love and enjoying that Blessed fellowship made for a wonderful respite from the week’s activities.

This week’s Meditations Monday Scripture was inspired by an extensive conversation Shannon and I had following church services on Sunday.  You’ve Blessed me with a wonderful wife Father.  Not only has the bond You’ve established between us grown closer over the life of our marriage, but we’re able to talk about absolutely anything with one another without concern of judgment or fear.  In this case, our discussion was centered around some of our past and current priorities as a married couple, and how as our Walks with You progress, we want to be sure we’re following Your desire for our lives in everything we do.  It was an excellent dialogue, and it allowed us to open and reexamine our perspectives on a number of things we’re involved in.

Today, as I spent time absorbed in Christ’s teachings, one particular passage brought our conversation back to mind, and reached into my heart:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

We have Jesus’ words Father… Your words… And while those words have been researched, translated, paraphrased and debated over and over again, the meaning of them remains timeless and unchanged.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit You write those words on our hearts, and through our prayers their wondrous message is unlocked, and made to live inside us.  It’s up to all of us to put those divine teachings to practice in our lives, thereby bringing ourselves closer to You in the process.

Heavenly Father,

Your Word and Your Voice sustain us Lord; they nourish our spirits, and inspire our actions.  Please continue to reveal Your purpose for our lives, so we may proceed in the knowledge that Your glory is represented to the full.  Guide us Father; fill our hearts with Your presence, that our actions may justify the Blessings You bestow on us each day.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Fresh Meat for the Lion

Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father!

Forgiveness Father, is sometimes very difficult.

This past week, I’ve had several instances where people have gone out of their way to say or do something they know will upset me.  Now, generally Father, I’m able to filter out that sort of thing and place my ire in Your hands.  This week however, my thresholds have been a bit lower than usual, and I’ve found myself holding on to those negative feelings instead of releasing them to Your care.

And then today, I reread the Scripture selections You placed on my heart to share on Facebook this week…

Tuesday : “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” – 1 John 4:19-21 (NIV)

Wednesday : “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 (NIV)

Thursday : “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” – 1 Peter 5:6-9 (NIV)

I usually feel that You give me these verses each day to help others in their Walks Lord, but I think this time You were talking to me as well.

Jesus gave us two very powerful commands to follow, above all else;

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

In those verses this week, you were reminding me the importance of the second part to that teaching…

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In my weakened state, I allowed the enemy to use those moments of pain to gain a foothold inside my heart, temporarily blinding me to the fact that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ; even those who still need to find You Lord.  The “roaring lion” had fresh meat for a few days, but no longer.

Thank You for the reminders Lord.

Heavenly Father,

I thank You for Your gentle guidance when I waver from Your path.  Fill me with Your divine presence, and help me see others through Your eyes, that I may cast aside my earthly notions and recognize Your Blessings in us all.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Bountiful Mercies

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Father, as You know this has been a complicated week for my family and I.  As I mentioned on Monday, the respiratory infection I contracted last week blossomed and it’s been beating my body up quite significantly.  And although I’m very much still under this bug’s influence, I’m thankful that it seems to at least be getting a little better.  Nonetheless, the true Blessing in all of this has been the amazing amount of support I’ve received from family and friends.  Be it through prayer, dropping off of medicine, checking in on me, or just expressing concern, I’ve seen examples of Your presence throughout.  I am truly Blessed Father, and I thank You for connecting me with each and every one of these kind people.

And now, on to this week’s list!  This week Lord, I’ve been particularly thankful for:

271. The kind, caring people who reached out to me while I’ve been ill.

272. Being Spiritually Healthy.

273. Zithromax.

274. Blueberry Tea.

275. Having the “Torchwood” TV series on my media server for entertainment while laying in bed.

276. Officially becoming members of Ewell’s St. Paul UMC last Sunday.

277. A warm dog on the foot of the bed to keep me company.

278. A wonderful day spent relaxing, cooking and chatting with good friends.

279. A wonderful wife who’s picked up my slack and let me rest this week.

280. Banana Cake.

281. Inspiration from unusual places.

282. My staff providing me the quiet to take a short nap on my couch in the office yesterday.

283. A friend with an excess of nebulizer supplies.

284. The “Scrabble” application for my Android tablet that’s kept me from going stir crazy while resting.

285. New opportunities to spread Your light to others.

So many Blessings Father…

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for all those Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that light up the Heavens, and those that grace us quietly without fanfare.  For while our situations here on earth may change, Your bountiful mercies in our lives remain constant.  We are truly Blessed.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil