Earlier the idea of spending more time on the last post seemed like a novel & worthy idea, but Monday after spending six hours on a proposal I’ve been orally contemplating in my head for two months, no notes anywhere, when within 30 minutes of completing the final draft on my notebook, it all suddenly vanished. Checking my phone, the script had vanished there too. At first, I was simply devastated, but not angry, because I know I’m sufficiently challenged techie-wise to realize most of my difficulties are self-generated, and in time perhaps with proper help, my impending doom & gloom will vanish when the lost is found.
So, I did the wise thing deciding to hang it all up and head to the gym, discovering the Aultman Wellness Center is virtually deserted after 2 pm and their AC works well prompting me to think perhaps for the summer months, I should do my physical stuff after I’m mentally spent, which is the way I’m discovering I’m wired anyway. So, being only three trips in with Wellness, I have much to learn about the maneuvers that Wellness thought best for me, so with only 3 visible patrons, Aleah, the staff person, had ample opportunity to give me all the help I needed to lock in these routines. Soon my positive mental perspective was restored and I hadn’t even pulled out my buds or tuned in my current read in Audible, Imagine God by John Burke.
Enough peripherals, let’s focus quick on the last post, mainly centering on our abuse and ignorance of our stewardship of His gifts, whether we were genetically endowed, perhaps just outright gifted later, or more recently, Spirit empowered as we stepped out in faith. The three Psalm passages Tony Reinke identified, out of hundreds I’m sure, were key and I’ll give you the first from the Message Version (MSG) for a paraphrased perspective:
“Every morning you’ll hear me at it again. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for the fire to descend.” Psalm 5:3.
Personally, during my recent 6-month firestorm transitioning from our properties of 41 years to an apartment, I’ve learned even before I do this “laying out & watching” routine, I’m best served by launching my praise words and reflections God-ward first. I am going to quickly share how our recent firestorm impacted what Christ Followers seldom talk about; their morning-devotional routines. Understand, the daily regiment I’m about to describe here may be a bit bizarre, but how would I or you really know? I don’t ever recall having shared this with anyone prior, nor am I accustomed to having others walk up to me and display their morning or evening spiritual vitamins for me either. Neither am I likely to ask anyone, unless perhaps, in a counseling or an intimate time of sharing.
But I am just about to do so very specifically and intentionally below, passing over the nefarious tipping point. I don’t ever recall having a personal conversation with anyone or reading anything written for public consumption prior, which really doesn’t account for much, because of my limited scope, although I’m thinking now the two author’s I’d research first for their possible devotional communication perspective would be Shane J Wood or John Eldredge.
Since I’m just a weird blogger and not having done any due diligence research, I’ll admit I enjoy going “off the road” writing about the ordinary but profound stuff, hopefully not profanely, but mostly, just because God Himself came down to earth and turned the axis of this world from our way, in which everyone gets what they deserve, to Jesus’s way, in which everyone gets way better than they deserve! In fact, we get the perfection He deserves, while He gets the death we deserve…. A real deal epiphany, or a sudden revelation. Hope you got it, because it’s been my life line, hopefully yours too! (It Is Finished: 365 Days of Good News. May 19)
So, I am suggesting perhaps it is past time we break our unholy silence about how we communicate with Almighty God, both to Him, and then, from Him. First off, you must know that my track record communicating TO God, was very poor considering my abundant opportunities. God certainly spoke loud and clear to me during the many unique and varied circumstances of my life. That indeed could be a riveting read, but not so at all, at least for me, as it would be replicating a NDE Life Review as vividly detailed frequently in “Imagine Heaven.”
The bottom line for any of this discussion however, is that whatever words I do share here with you, it is paramount that they do actually provide worthy insights or encouragement to those of us struggling not only with our unholy alliances with our phones, but also with our at times non-existent communication with Almighty God; and just exactly, why is this occurring, and where can we get help, be it written or spoken?
Now being retired, I have both more time and desire to get my spiritual house in order, which I certainly ignored during my earlier years. Now also possessing a degree of experiential wisdom, I realize my earlier actions of depriving my wife, kids, and myself, was actually solely my choice, and not at all merely circumstances, and certainly not God’s plan for any of us.
The real question to be answered here is what exactly was my devotional regiment while working those 60-70 hours week and raising three sons? Truth One, it did not exist and everyone suffered, wife, kids, even me, but I was literally too tired and broken financially and spiritually from my chaos and confusion to know from whence it came, let alone, the real Truth. And even worse, I was so deceived then I was even teaching a SS class and serving as an elder. Only Loretta knew the truth but several in congregational leadership I do believe discerned my realities, but remained silent, for whatever reason…. And so, the games continued. Get the picture?
Time for a break. We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow.