I'll be honest, it has been hard keeping up with this blog. My intentions are there, but the time is not. I am usually exhausted when I get home from work and with all the house work and preparing that needs to be done, the last thing I want to do is read. I have been forcing myself to read anyway, even if its late at night. I've committed to this 30 day challenge and I plan on sticking with it regardless if I have to stay up until 11:30 at night to get it done (which has happened already)! It is not easy to commit time to God EVERY day in this manner, but it is what we are called to do. I feel bad that I reluctantly pick up my devotional book when I know deep down its the best thing I could do for myself. In a way, the challenge is exciting, but difficult, too. It is only day 4, but I feel I need to take time and really dive deep into what I'm reading. Honestly, I haven't done that yet. My new goal is to not just get through this challenge, but to really get into it. I want it to be something I look forward to, instead of it being a chore. That is my prayer.
Yesterday, I read the devotional for February 24, but didn't get a chance to write about it like I wanted to, but here it goes. The devotional references Matthew 8 and talks about the centurion who came to Jesus and asked him to heal his servant. Jesus heals the centurion's servant because He is so impressed with his faith. The centurion says, "Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed." Only speak a word?! What surprises me is that the centurion did not say much, but he expressed great faith in Jesus by that simple sentence. I want faith like that!
Sometimes I find myself telling God over and over how much I trust Him, when deep down I don't necessarily believe my own words. It's usually when fear and worry have crept in and taken over simply because I've allowed it. The centurion must have said that simple sentence with such confidence because it stood out to Jesus. When we pray in faith and tell God we believe, do we truly believe what is coming out of our own mouths? Or are we saying it because it sounds good. I think sometimes, and I know I'm guilty, we have prayed prayers that simply sound good. It is so important to believe what we are saying when we pray.
This devotional was definitely neat because it says so much in only a few words. What really stood out to me is one verse Smith Wigglesworth references in the devotional that I have been seeing over and over again. Allow me to share a story first:
A few weeks ago, a fellow colleague came in with the same devotional book I am reading now. She told me about the book and talked about how awesome it was. Then, she read the day's devotional. It caught my attention and seemed really interesting (i.e. not your typical boring devotional book). She left the devotional book on the table in the teacher's lounge for a few days. I don't know if she left it there intentionally or accidentally, but it was there. A few days later, since I had been interested in the book, I decided to pick it up and read the day's devotional (I had a few minutes between classes). I opened the book to the day's devotional and started reading. I couldn't tell you what the devotional said, but I clearly remember the verse that went with it. It was Mark 11: 24 "Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." At the time, it was exactly what I needed to here. Once I finished reading, I looked up at the date at the top of the page (there's a devotional for each day of the year). I had 'accidentally' read the wrong day. It was February 3, but I read February 4. I really don't believe this was an accident, but a 'God-thing.' I needed to read THAT devotional for that time. That's when I decided I needed to buy the book for myself.
Fast forward to yesterday, and there again on the page is Mark 11:24. I really felt like God was reminding me because I had forgotten about that verse and that day. Is God not awesome?
I will leave you with this thought for the day from Wigglesworth: "The living Word is able to destroy satanic forces. There is power in the words of Jesus."
Makes me think of this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQo-F_hUyrs&feature=related
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