Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 11, 2019
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. Psalm 119:147-148
Chances are, you are reading these words on a rectangle piece of glowing glass that fits in the palm of your hand or rests easily on your lap. Singlehandedly these devices have reoriented our entire society and the way in which we interact with the world around us. Rather than seeing the expansive textures and contours of God’s creation all around us, we retreat into disembodied digital landscapes, rarely stopping to consider how this habit is subtly (and not so subtly!) reshaping our understanding of God and self.
You are not a spirit who just “happens” to have a physical body. You are an integrated being, body, mind, and soul, with the gift of five senses that are all meant to be means by which you know and encounter the goodness of God. You are able to feel his love in the embrace of a lover. You are reminded that you are made for community as you share a homemade meal with dear friends. You are refreshed in his presence as you receive from his Word and Table in worship.
One of the ways the Scriptures remind us of this truth is by calling to mind the rhythms of our daily life. Though your news feed never sleeps, you were made to rest! There is a built in rhythm to your life in which you are reminded that as you go through your day you are led and directed by the Lord, and as you sleep you are sustained and protected by his loving care. As a traditional prayer beautifully puts it, “Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.”
Do you have an intentional rhythm of morning and evening prayer with the Lord? Though some of us greatly struggle with the concept of “mornings” or “morning people,” each and every one of us awakes to face a new day. The choice before us is whether or not we will pause long enough to entrust the day to the Lord and ask for his strength and grace in whatever lies before us.
Perhaps you have a big meeting that fills your heart with anxiety and opportunity. Offer it to the Lord. Perhaps you have a difficult and possibly confrontational conversation with a friend that you’ve been avoiding but know you must have. Ask the Lord to go before you and fill that relationship with the peace of his presence. And as you put your day to rest, rather than mindlessly watching tv or escaping into social media, take a minute and be mindful of the day that just passed. Where did you encounter the nearness of God? Where did you experience fear, anger, disappointment, or pain? Rather than ignoring these feelings and pressing on, learn to be attentive to them and let them turn your heart to the Lord in prayer and trust.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Prayer
Father, teach us to be present to your Spirit at work in our lives as we rise, as we work, and as we rest, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
How can you more intentionally practice the presence of God throughout the rhythms of your day?
Related Reading
1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 119:164; Ephesians 6:18
Post/Tweet today
Pause long enough to entrust the day to the Lord and ask for his strength and grace in whatever lies before us. #prayer #wisdomhunters #peace
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