Devotional - Go For Broke


 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV)


Recently I was reflecting on the fact that many of us are guilty of being casual and nonchalant in our efforts to achieve the things that we desire. We put out minimum efforts, expecting maximum results and then give up when things don’t turn out the way we had expected. Then instead of accepting that we are at fault, we seek a scapegoat, someone to blame. Until we accept responsibility and make it our duty to do what we are supposed to do, our dreams and visions will never materialize.

 

As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual.  We may desire to develop a deeper and more meaningful relationship with the Father but are unwilling to make the sacrifice that is required.  The things we desire will not come by simply thinking about them or wishing for them. As the old saying goes they will not come by osmosis. They require deliberate, consistent and sustained effort. Alex Ihama, in his book Welcome To Greatness, opines that in most cases, it is not that we do not know what we want, but the problem lies in the fact that we do not make enough effort to begin the process.

So, it is not enough to want a closer walk with God. Having made the decision, it is time to put in the work.  Don’t settle for mere crumbs. Dig deep in order to unearth the hidden treasure which cannot be seen with the naked eye.

 According to Proverbs 25:2, It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.  In order to discover the deep things of God, you must be prepared to search relentlessly. Leave no stone unturned in your hunger and thirst after God.  It is only those who hunger and thirst after Him who will be filled. Love and serve Him with without restriction or reservation, with all your heart, soul and strength.  You can be confident that once you have done your part, He will do the rest.  In your quest for God, go hard, go for broke. Rich treasures await you.

 Reflection

What are the things that prevent me from having a closer walk with God?

How do I develop this closer walk that I desire?

 Prayer

Father, forgive us for taking our walk with you lightly. Give us the desire and the discipline to pursue a closer walk with you. Help us to remove all distractions and focus on you, the author and the finisher of our faith. Amen. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POEM - Mama Was A Wise One

  Mama Was a Wise One   Mama was a wise one, she had a way with words, Mama was a wise one, mek mi tell yuh weh she used to seh!   Scornful dawg nyam dutty puddn, chicken merry, hawk deh near And when you ears too hard, she seh who cyaa hear will feel   Mama was a wise one, she taught us how to save She seh one one cocoa full basket, good advice she always gave   Mama was a wise one, leading us along the right path She taught us how to be patient, to meekly wait and murmur not   Mama was a wise one, she taught us how to pray Gentle Jesus meek and mild, each night at bedtime we would say   Mama was a wise one, she taught us the value of stability To stand our ground and not fool around, for a rolling stone gathers no moss.   Mama was a wise one, she taught us to be thrifty Not to compete with the Joneses, but to hang our basket where we can reach it   Mama was a wise one, she taught us to have a plan B Not to be swayed by so-so words, for
Read more

Devotional - A New Lease on Life

pub-3751615692135036   Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ...”  Romans 8:11  (MSG)   It is said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and I recently had a personal experience that proves that this saying is quite true. Recently, I threw out an old fan which I had bought years ago when I started working after leaving University. Though it could still function somewhat, it wasn’t as effective as when I first bought it. Constant use over the years had started to take its toll.   It could no longer rotate; it had started to rust and the head was almost severed from the trunk. To me, it was not worth fixing. It seemed useless so I threw it out. Out with the old, in with the new. To my surprise, within a few hours it had found a new owner. My neighbour took it from the garbage heap, cleaned it off, used a piece of cloth to tie the almost severed head and in no time, he had a “new”
Read more

Devotional - A Divinely Ordained Delay (Part 2)

The steps of the righteous man are ordered by the Lord…Psalm 37:23   Recently I saw a post on Facebook which said that sometimes God delays us where we are because He knows that there is a storm ahead.  I was really encouraged as I meditated on this thought.  Our loving Father, who sees danger ahead, prevents us from moving forward as the danger ahead is not part of His plan for us. Then a few days later as I was chitchatting with my co-worker, she related how the previous afternoon she was delayed at the office until 6 pm as she could not find her car keys. She had retraced her steps to areas of the office that she had been to before and searched her bag several times. She even emptied the contents and searched the various compartments of her bag to no avail. At the end of her rope, she called out to God in her distress. Immediately, He answered by telling her to check her bag one more time. Of course, she resisted the idea because she had checked several times before.  Nevert
Read more

Words of Inspiration - Gratitude Is a Must!

  As I walked through my neighborhood early one morning this week, my heart overflowed with joy and gratitude. As I took in the sights and sounds, felt the cool breeze, and saw the sun slowly spread out its warm rays, I gave thanks to God for such wonderful blessings.  I looked towards the lush green mountains I was reminded of Psalm 121,' I will lift my eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the maker of heaven and earth'. Casting my gaze to the intersection where the mountains kissed the sky, Psalm 19 came to mind, 'The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork'. God's green earth and magnificent heaven were certainly on display and I thank God that I was blessed with sight to be a witness of this spectacle. I then began to reflect on my own personal situation. The little C had found me but you would never know if I did not tell you. I was down but certainly not out. I was just experiencing a little bump i
Read more

Devotional - Hidden Things

pub-3751615692135036 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run  with perseverance  the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12: 1   I was pleasantly surprised when what was hidden came to light. I had just bought a new fridge and two of my neighbours were assisting by taking it into the apartment. In order to create additional space at the entrance to the living room, some furniture had to be moved out of the way. It was then that I got my big surprise. Hidden behind the furniture were items I had long forgotten about, things of value that could certainly be put to good use. What were those things? A phone charger and a key ring. How did they get there? I have no idea. As I pondered what had happened, I could immediately see the parallels in our lives. Often there are hidden things in our lives that can only be revealed when we remove the ‘furniture’ aka blockages
Read more