the cycle of "me"

Things to think about this week from SacredSpace.ie:

"In the bible, poverty is an evil to be corrected; wealth is not an evil but a necessity for the well-being of the kingdom. However the love of riches can lead to neglect of God and of the poor. The Christian community has always tried to make the care of the poor its priority. Is it mine? ‘What stress are you under?’ Jesus asks of us. It stems from his mission. He is sent by the Father to purify, and to distinguish what is genuine from dross. Life according to the beatitudes has its share of conflict. For those who hunger and thirst for justice, this world is not a comfortable place. As Simeon prophesied to Mary, Jesus was ‘destined to be a sign that is rejected.’(Luke 2:34) What about me? Do I merge seamlessly and comfortably with the values of this world? Do I hunger and thirst for anything? If the behaviour of the Beatitudes were a criminal offence, would I be in prison?"

I know that these questions challenged me as I read them this morning.

It is easy for me to slip into the world's way of doing things and focus on me... what am I going to make for dinner tonight, what am I going to buy with my clothing money this month, what do I need God to fix for me, do we "owe" God money from this month's budget (talk about having a misplaced heart when that thought crosses my mind!), etc.

For a time, it is more comfortable to focus on me... but I soon become dissatisfied with my life when I'm not hungering nor thirsting for anything real.

The more selfish I am, the more miserable I find myself. The only remedy is to hunger and thirst for the things of the Lord--the fruit of the Spirit, an attitude of humility, a desire to put others above myself.

So my prayer this morning is that Christ would be the center of my life today and that I would do everything with humility and a servant's heart. And if I can make it through today, by God's grace, maybe I'll be able to do the same tomorrow and break the cycle of "me."

Philippians 2:1-11

sacred space

"‘I appeal that there be no dissensions among you.’ (1 Corinthians 1:10) We live with the scandal of a divided Christendom; but we can make it better or worse. We make it worse if we focus on the differences between Christians, better if we keep our eyes on what unites us. We are all baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In worship, belief, morality, and in the love of Jesus, we share great areas of agreement; and we are travelling in hope towards one flock and one shepherd. Jesus thinks and speaks in parables and images which he draws from the world around him. He reaches especially for symbols of life and growth. From a tiny seed grows a mighty tree. From Mary, the twelve apostles and the holy women has grown the largest body of believers on the planet, a church of every colour and culture. We are not uniform or cloned – all sorts of birds can make nests in our shade - but united in our recognition of Jesus as the revelation and Son of God." - "Something to think and pray about this week," SacredSpace.ie

All I can say is "Amen!"

lyrics

"you desired my attention,

but denied my affections"

This lyric from White Blank Page struck me when I was listening to Mumford and Sons last night.

I heard a still small voice inside me say, "There's truth in that," and it instantly resonated with the reality of where my walk with God is right now.

So often I find myself wanting His attention and consideration in my prayers, but then I get so busy with trying to figure out what God wants me to do/how I can be good/trying to remove boundaries between me and the Lord and I totally miss out on just being with the Lord and enjoying His affections for me.

Even though the lyric is taken out of the context of the song, the Lord used it as a great reminder to me to slow down and enjoy Him.