Tag: Mark

The People

Today, let’s pray for the people involved in your day.

There are so many people and interactions you might have in a day — from emails to phone conversations to Zoom or in person meetings to service providers to family…..

When I started really thinking about this, I was almost overwhelmed. Each and every day people (and their dispositions and approach) are in our lives. They can impact us and we can impact them! Think of how much our perspectives and attitudes are influenced just because we spent time interacting with someone.

We can’t always control who is on our path for the day. But, as we consider our day, we know we will be in communication with others. It is good to think about where we are and how we influence communication.

What are we bringing into the interactions?

Have we given our own challenges and burdens to God so that we are free to hear and notice the needs of others?

Is it time for us to “come clean” and admit we are struggling so that those who care for us can intercede for us?

In the end, the person we spend the most time with is ourselves. So, that is one thing to be thinking about. The others we interact with all have their own things going on and sometimes that comes into play — even without them realizing it. There are times when our days are filled to the brim with interactions.

It is so easy to see why Jesus went off to a quiet place to pray. Let’s guard that time with God and lay out our day. We don’t have to present every detail. We just need to ask Him to cover the day and to help us see what He wants us to see throughout the day.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 NIV

Are you coming or going?

I was thinking about the verse I want to rest upon during Lent. There will be a lot of movement in my life in the upcoming months so this one seems appropriate:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

And this one is always good to keep in mind because while we are not “of this world” we certainly are here in this world for a purpose:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

But here is where I have settled:

be-stillp

We are often coming and going and not taking enough time to reflect, rest, and be restored. The focus for 2017 Lenten PrayerPoints will be devotional thoughts that relate to being “On the Road”.  Certainly, a part of traveling means rest and standing still. Sometimes we choose our times of “still” and other times we do not. “Being still” might be an uncomfortable place to be–especially if someone is known as a “doer”.

If you decide to have a verse or chapter or book of the Bible to focus on during this season of Lent, I would love to hear what it is! Write it out, sketch it out, go to canva.com and create some digital art, or do whatever you need to do to connect with the verse and tuck it away in your heart and mind. And then pay attention! Whenever I do this, I see God’s connecting points for me in conversations with others, in sermons, in songs, and in my life. Ruminating on Scripture is always a good idea.

I am praying for all of us as we journey with God and spend time with Him during this season. May He find hearts willing to learn, grow, and change to reflect His love and grace and forgiveness more accurately. As we travel through life we will meet many travelers. We can give more to others when we ourselves are refreshed.

On the Road!

Liz

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10