It is hard to form a new habit and even harder to break one. Leaping into this new year with my mind set on forming New Habits (Prayer for my husband, my children, and reading Colossians) I neglected the approaching 40 days in which I was to surrender and sacrifice a habit already formed and molded into my life.
Day 3 and I already see God's perfect timing with this sacrifice. He whispers to me encouraging words when I sit in the familiar chair, click the drop down menu and hesitate on FACEBOOK before moving past and clicking somewhere else.
It is in that moment I remember my pledge. I remember my savior.
Even if for a moment, I take a breath and hold tight to His sacrifice for me.
I think about the letting go and taking in of it all and the daily, hourly reminder at times, of what it is all about. I consider that even in the failing there is much to be learned.
To fail (which I pray I can hold fast as I have not yet failed but the road is long) would only remind me of my depravity and humanity and my utter need for Him in ALL things. To fail would still lead me to the Cross...
isn't that where I am wanting to go?
To the foot of the Cross
To the earth under His feet
I think about the Samaritan Woman:
The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water!” (John 4:9-10)
I like how the writer puts it on Lent and Beyond:
"Jesus says to the woman, “If you just knew the gift of God and who I am, you would ask me-you would pray to me!” There is a direct correlation between not knowing Jesus well and not asking much from him. A failure in our prayer life is generally a failure to know Jesus."My sacrifice, small in comparison to His, is a reminder each day to pray. To Praise. To walk with Him.
And, in that walking, praising, and praying I might get to know Him more.
Letting go of something small in my day has opened up a new opportunity to strengthen my New Habits I committed to form. Two of them being prayer. What an awesome, divine, opportunity God has given to me these next forty days.
Some Wonderful Resources on Prayers for Lent and Lenten Activities.
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