Living Life When it is Messy

Today's question to meditate on: Do you believe all things are possible with God?

Afterward Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem, but they stayed in Judea for a while and baptized there. (John 3:22, NLT)

I have been teaching a class entitled "Living Life When it is Messy." Turns out, life gets messy. The thing is, we need to live in a way that life is not ruled by circumstances but the presence of God. Of course this is easier said than done. So, this week the class has been challenged to take 60 seconds of every waking hour until next Sunday to stop, become still, and be aware of the presence of God. From my own experience, 60 seconds can seem like an eternity in the midst of the busyness of the day, however; after some practice, the 60 seconds spent with God becomes a welcomed oasis. A great way to begin the minute is to meditate on a specific scripture asking God to activate the words within the heart, mind, and soul.

Today I will be meditating on Luke 18:27: "Jesus said, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God'" These words of Christ help us understand what it means to live centered on Christ, "God with us." The point of this scripture is that our life completely changes when we immerse our life in Christ. Life without Christ is impossible. With Christ, all things are possible, including living through messy circumstances.

Look at the verse in John 3:22. Imagine being one of the individuals Jesus and his disciples baptized. The point of the baptism was for the individual to demonstrate the decision to enter into a new life. The individual was freed from the old way of living, leaving it all in the watery grave. The baptism signified a new beginning based on a relationship with God.

That's it . . . we are to live every hour of every day in an active participating relationship with God.
The messes of life are impossible to face without God. With God all things are possible.

Concentrate on the presence of God rather than the circumstances of living.
Use 96 minutes (one minute of sixteen hours of every day until next Sunday)of this week to become more aware than ever of the presence of God.
Respond to the presence of God rather than the messy parts of the day.
Participate with the work of God in every part of the day.
Refuse to activate your old ways and habits of living.
Remember nothing is impossible with God. Nothing.

Learning with you to be more aware of God than messy circumstances,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)