Days Away and Advent

After a conference in Orlando and the family meeting me here for a weekend at Disney, I'm back at home.  This morning I sent this devotion to the writer of an Advent devotional.  I had been asked to provide one day's writing.  There were some instructions and the verse was given.  Hopefully its good enough for the topic.

Friday – Saturday, January 1-2, 2016

Read 2 Peter 3:8-14

God is the only authority.  He created the world and it will pass when He decides.  His most precious creation is you.  The Lord does not want anyone to be destroyed and lost.  His goal for you is to know Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 

Your faith must be complete.  Inasmuch as we believe Christ lived, died, and rose again do you live everyday focused on that reality?  Perhaps you are in a storm and finding it difficult to see, hear, or feel anything but the storm.  Perhaps you are idle in a life of ease and the boredom lures your thoughts and dreams away.  Are you focused on your physical senses in this temporary world?  You can be confident that every step of your brief path is a step custom designed to secure your or another’s faith. 

The present is a gift.  This moment in time has unspeakable value as it will never be repeated.  Rare items have the most value in auctions.  What is rarer than the second that just passed?  The only thing more valuable is the second spent in communion with God and you get the opportunity to do that in every second if you so choose.  All that you see, hear, touch, and taste is secondary to the chance to spend moments throughout each day with His Word in your thoughts, His song in your mind, and His path to walk.

Your only influences in this world are through your words and actions.   How will anyone you are in contact with meet or see Jesus?  These are your only tools.  Since it is through your words and actions that the character of your heart will be exposed, it is imperative for you to know where it resides.  Your goal through the storms or ease should be the constant yielding to His Spirit so His character dominates your heart, thereby yielding His words and actions.

O Lord, complete my faith.  Help me to trust in only Your Word and no other, especially my own.  Teach me to focus on every moment, seeing it for its beauty of revelation of You.  Help me to willingly lay down my heart’s desires for the single purpose of Your character’s reign over my spirit.  So be it.