Technological Tools

I am thankful for the ability to use technology to get things done.  By “technological tools,” I don’t mean technology itself, I am referring more to what we can use it to accomplish. For instance, Word and Excel, or Pages and Numbers, or email programs, or  CD duplicators, or iPhone apps - the list would be endless in this day and age.

Technological tools save you loads of time - Word or Pages for example, since you can (in most cases, I venture) type faster than you can write.  Excel and Numbers makes data entry and statistics take far less time and become more automated.  CD duplicators make things far faster than one CD at a time.  iPhone apps often make tools available to you on the go, which can also speed things along - or at least make things more convenient.

I admit that it promotes the temptation to be in a faster, busier mode, but the tool isn’t what chooses to make you busier.  It’s there to free more time up for you.  What you do with that time is your choice.  And so - as with all tools - when used with wisdom, technological tools are invaluable.  (Hopefully this reminds us to keep our priorities straight.)

I am thankful that God made a way for us to have technological tools, with which I can increase my efficiency, so that I can attend to more of the things that I enjoy doing.

Decision-Makers

Ezra 10:4

“Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act.”

(Disclaimer:  This verse is taken a little out of context, but I don’t think I’m abusing it, since I’m not commenting on what it means, just what it says.  This verse was said on behalf of the people of Israel to Ezra the prophet about a particular issue.  You can read more here.)

I am really thankful for those on whom the responsibility lies to make decisions.  I, personally, despise making decisions.  I don’t like the weight of the responsibility, and I don’t usually trust my own judgment enough to feel confident in making decisions.  I will sometimes even stress out over small decisions.  At times, I have to realize that it isn't my decision to make.  (Whew!)  Most of the time, I like to take the tack that seems to be portrayed in this verse.

If you have to make a decision, I will be behind you all the way, and try to help gather information or whatever you may need in order to make your decision.  I may enlist the help of others or inform you that you may want to do a little more research, since research isn’t my forte, but I will still do whatever I can to help.  Just so long as I don’t have to make the final decision.

My distaste for decisions is almost assuredly based on fear, and I haven’t fully determined what the root fear is.  I can rationalize bits and pieces of it biblically, but I think it’s just that:  rationalization rather than truth.  

However, God does, at times, make allowances for those of us who are weaker.  “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1)  I am that weaker person, and the one I am putting the decision on is the person that is willing to take on my weakness in their strength in Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for sending someone to meet me at my own level who can pick up the slack.  Give me the wisdom, power, and diligence to grow in You, and eventually be able to pick up the slack for others.

Requests

Philippians 4:6

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

“Request of the Called”

Lord I praise Thee in the rain,

For You have made me dance.

My aching bones find comfort in Your peace.

Your love is everlasting,

Your salvation grips me true.

I find rest within the shelter of Your wings.

Your patience is unending

With Your precious little child;

I seek forgiveness in Your open arms.

Lord help me be Your servant.

Keep me low within my mind.

May Your grace flow through me to the others here. 

I am thankful that God made it so that we can make requests of Him.  I pray that our requests are asked from a heart longing to do His will.  

God's Presence

Psalm 16:11a

“You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy...”

Do you ever talk a problem out to yourself?  I do this rather often. It helps me to “get things on the table” so to speak. I find I think a little more rationally if I say my thoughts aloud. (I don’t mind being called crazy - I think it might be a bit true...)  

This can, however, be a problem sometimes. Have you ever found yourself talking to a friend about your problem, and instead of being able to let off steam and calm down, it winds you tighter and you get more worked up? This is what happens when I have intense feelings about a problem I am trying to talk out to myself.

I was struggling with this tonight, and asked God what I needed to do. It was like He said, “I’m glad you asked. Would you like to talk to Me about it now?”

I realized I had been talking to myself about it, but not talking to God about it. I wasn’t praying or asking for His input. When I talk to God about my problem, I talk differently. I check my attitude - to a point, at least - and I check the validity of what I’m saying. This rather struck me.

If I am to take my thoughts captive, then I need to constantly practice being in the presence of God. I can use His presence to compare what I am saying to what He has said. I am so thankful He has made His presence available to me. His presence, though it can seem stern, is also compassionate. And I need His compassion. His compassion is part of why I am able to partake in His joy. 

God is always there to talk to. He isn’t going to take nonsense; He’s going to make sure you see the truth, even if it’s hard to take. But He will always do it out of love for you. “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).  

The Bible

Romans 15:4

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Have you ever heard the acronym “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth?”  I find it rather fitting for the Bible.  (Though in some things it doesn’t seem so basic.)  I am thankful for God’s instruction.

The Bible isn’t an indexed manual.  It isn’t something that you can look up a specific topic and see what it says about that topic.  There are too many different situations, both in life and the Bible, to be able to do it by topic.  You can look up a word - but what if the Bible used a different word that’s similar?  I have often run into this while looking for a verse to pair with one of my thankful things.  I use an online concordance, but it has its limits.

This is why it is so important to read our Bibles.  We need to know them inside and out, to study them, so that we can at least have an idea of where to look (or what wording is used) to find our answer.  It’s amazing how often someone who knows their Bible well can find the portion of it that applies to a situation.  Sometimes our minds just don’t connect what we’re going through with something in the Bible, and it takes another person to point it out to us.  

I won’t say that I’ve found a portion of the Bible for every situation I’ve been in, but I do believe God has given us all of the tools we need to deal with our situations and circumstances.  The Bible ranks rather high on that list of tools - and many more tools are found within its pages.  The Bible itself is one of the basic tools of following God.

With recent changes in my life it has been easy to let my Bible study fall a bit to the wayside.  I have finally noticed God’s loving and gracious nudges.  Reading my Bible is meant to be an encouragement, not a burden.  When I shift my focus from myself to God, His Word is a huge encouragement.  He has shown me that I need to re-prioritize my Bible reading a bit.  

How well do you know your Bible?  Is it time to make that a higher priority?

Weekly Impressions - God-Centered

Psalm 104:34

“Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.”

I keep writing about my son.  It might be because babies require your world to revolve around them for a little while.  Or because he’s just so darn cute.  I don’t know, I’m torn.  Either way, God has been showing me through raising my son just how selfish I am.

My previous awareness of this trait was obtuse at best.  Most people don’t think of me as selfish.  Not to beat a dead horse into the ground, but I am confronted once again with where I place my focus.  I wonder sometimes at God’s infinite patience with me as He has to remind me over and over again... and then again.  My focus is naturally on myself (as it is with all of us).  It didn’t seem that way at first, but as God is taking me deeper into a relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit is opening my eyes wider and wider... literally, at times.  

I don’t particularly care to be shown my faults.  I’m not usually the type to retaliate, but any human being feels at least a little lesser when confronted with their ugly side (unless they’re proud of it, in which case they’re a fool).  Which, to be frank, is the point.  I am lesser because of my sins, and I cannot be more without my Savior, Jesus Christ.  

For the sake of my own comprehension, I am having to see myself as unchanged with Jesus Christ, and only made more once in Jesus Christ.  I am not a co-pilot.  I am not equal with God.  I only have strength and worth when I am in God’s will - and that, not of myself.

This is why God has been pushing me toward Meditation, to use as a tool to take my focus off of myself and to center it on God.  I am having to constantly check my focus, which often flings my faults into my face, which means I have to fight my selfish response, which means I’m often fighting a poor attitude... until I can wrest my focus from myself and center it on God (through His power).

How awesome is it that He grants us the strength to live in Him and thereby do His will?  To live in Christ is Victory.

Meditation

Psalm 19:14

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”

Admit it - the image of a monk sitting in the lotus position with eyes closed and middle fingers pressed to thumbs chanting, “Ooohhmmmmm...” just flashed through your mind.  This stereotypical scene is not what I’m referring to.  (Although I won’t deny the possibility of tailoring it to meditate upon God.)  I am referring more to centering my thoughts upon God and His Word, tied in a bit with memorization.

God has been prodding me a little in this area.  There are several places where meditation is mentioned in God’s Word.  I, too, think of the stereotypical monk when I think of meditation, and often dismiss it as a result.  I think of meditation more as trying to achieve “alpha” state, where you are aware, but not focused on any one thing.  However, the meditation that God talks about in the Bible is centered on something in particular - like His Word, or His attributes.  It’s more like what your thought life is focused on.

God has shown me that this is something that I need to practice and be aware of in my everyday life.  As with all things, practice makes “perfect.”  If I use some of my quiet time to practice meditating upon God and His Word - to focus my thoughts on a single idea - then I will be better at meditating while I’m not able to focus solely on it.  While I’m at work, for instance, or doing chores.  If I memorize a verse, I can recall it at any time to think on it and what God is trying to tell me through it - which can change as we go through various stages of life.  I am seeing meditation as a handy tool in being able to live in the constant knowledge of God’s presence.  And in His presence is fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:10)

I am thankful for the useful tool of meditation.  It is a very simple thing, which makes it easy to do.  (We all know that we’re more likely to do something if it’s easy.)  It also gives me a way to add variety to my quiet time.  If I do the same thing every time, it gets harder for my mind not to wander.

What have you been centered on lately?