Category: Sister Judy (Page 223 of 271)

Devotions from Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

Our God who speaks to us, is also our God who listens to us when we speak. We are heard…everything we say, every sigh we make, every cry and groan. Everything is heard by our listening God. Talking with our God who listens has life-changing consequences. First it brings us into an intimate relationship with Him as we share our hearts. It transforms us as the power of the Spirit changes our character to be more like Him. Secondly as we speak openly to God, we come to know ourselves. As we take off our masks and acknowledge even our dark side, our self-knowledge increases.  We discover that as we share our broken selves with Him, He draws us deeper into His love and grace. Thirdly, as we talk with God, it changes the way we relate to others. Our self-centered hearts begin to care for others with greater concern.  We must come to God truthfully and speak from our inner depths. It will not diminish our Belovedness and we deeply know that we matter!!

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

It is good to offer up our daily work to God, whether it be preaching a sermon or doing the dishes. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” I Cor. 10:31.  The ordinary is made holy when we resolve to do everything for God. Nothing is too trivial or mundane. To do everything for God is to put our whole hearts into what ever we are doing at the present moment. Just imagine the difference it would make in our lives if we lived wholeheartedly. I know so often I am doing one thing but thinking of another… mostly what needs to be done next. That is half- hearted living.   But it is better to concentrate on the task at hand and be fully present. Let us consciously welcome Him into every new activity before we begin it.  I think if we do, we will have a different attitude and we will sense the sacredness of the now-moment . Whenever we find we have disengaged from the present moment we can just ask Him for help to put our preoccupations aside and be present. I want to do this more.

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

We are made more aware of God’s presence when we choose to be constantly thankful. In the Word we are told to be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances. I Thess. 5:16-18. Gratitude is a choice. In whatever circumstances we are in, we are given the freedom to choose our response. Instead of saying, why did this happen to me, we can ask, What is there to be thankful for that we can use in constructing a new future?  The example given is of a pastor whose daughter died at the age of 10. He could have allowed this tragedy to make him bitter and despairing. But he chose to think of his daughter as a gift given by God and be thankful for each of those 10 years he had her. He chose the way of gratitude.

Let us focus is on the positive. Gratitude is not some duty it is a response to the sheer giftedness of our lives. What do we have that has not ultimately been given? Let us not take things for granted. Let our posture towards life not be one of grabbing and demanding but one of receiving and celebrating. It is good to pause during our day to give thanks to God for every sign of His goodness.

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

Sometimes we think the secular and sacred are separated in our lives but God’s living presence pervades all of our life and experiences. We can train ourselves to be aware of His presence in the present moment as we learn to turn our minds toward Christ, remain constantly thankful, and do everything we do for God. There is no time in our lives when God is not actively loving us. His transforming love radiates towards us in every single moment and experience of our lives. Not every experience we have appears to be a sacrament of God’s loving presence when we are suffering. We may think He has forsaken us. But even when we go through hard times we have the promise of the kingdom of heaven which is only partially experienced now but fully experienced beyond the dimensions of our present world. We have the story of Stephen who when he was being killed, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God. 
We can learn to direct our minds towards the Lord by frequently affirming the closeness of His presence with us whereever we are. Sometimes it helps to just repeat the name of Jesus, say a short prayer, or pause for a period of silence during the day. We have frequent lapses of forgetting so it helps to be made more aware that He is right here with us right now!

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

We all have a personal calling but it is not only for our sake but points our hearts towards our neighbor as well. Often we have feelings of resistance towards our calling. We may make excuses  thinking I am a nobody, I don’t know enough about God, what happens if I fail, I don’t have what it takes, or maybe someone else can do it better. But our Father who calls us will also empower us and strengthen us. He also sends others to encourage us and confirm His gifts in our lives. Personal calls do not come in stereotyped and standardized categories. They show the infinite creativity of our creator. Sometimes our personal calling and our daily job coincide and we are paid for doing what we believe God has called us to do. Other times our calling is pursued outside our work hours. The author is a pastor and gets paid for doing what his job description is as well as His calling. But all personal callings involve living from the inside out. “It is responding to the inner promptings of the Spirit, expressing the unique essence of who we are and giving ourselves away in some particular way that enriches the lives of others.”
Let us remember we are called into being before we are called into doing. Our callings are discovered as we are in relationship to Him in greater intimacy.  Let us follow our hearts and experience what He has for us.

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

Each one of us has a unique assignment on this earth, a personal calling.  As Mother Teresa said, “I was not called to be successful, but faithful. Each one of us has something beautiful to do for God.”  The author  invites into a 3 fold vocation:  to become the person God wants us to be, to care for those closest to us as He has loved us, and to participate in Gods’ kingdom dream for a healed and healing society. I Cor. 7:17 says we are to lead the life the Lord has assigned us, to which God has called us. God sends every person into the world with a special message to deliver, a song to sing for others, with a special act of love to give. No one else can speak our message or sing our song, or offer our act of love.  As we discern this calling our lives are nourished as well as others. God’s call will never diminish or restrict our lives but releases us into real fulfillment. Isn’t it wonderful when we know we are doing what we are created for.and becoming the person He wants us to be?

Devotions from Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

“Only the power of God’s love, manifest in the lives of ordinary people, can heal our broken world.”  Our highest priority when we know Jesus is to learn to love. Do we want to be remembered as a truly loving person and to live the life of Love as Christ loves us? But our love should not be in just words and talk but show itself in action. ( I John 3:18). Jesus love was a love in action and he touched lepers, shared meals with outsiders, hugged children, fed hungry people, washed dirty feet etc. Love in action is chiefly a matter of the will. When Jesus commands us to love, He doesn’t address our feelings and emotions, for our loving actions are not dependent on good feelings. There are times when we may inwardly decide: No matter how I may be feeling, with God’s help, I commit myself to act in a loving way. Often we may show His love in just very ordinary ways and we can use creativity, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Simple actions connect us with God’s loving presence and are a signs that we are growing in Him. The author suggests that we do an experiment. Begin by asking God for discernment and listing the names of those with whom we share most closely our daily lives.  Write down by their name a practical expression of caring that would most contribute to that person’s wholeness. Then put our intentions into practice and allow our actions to become channels of His extravagant love.  May we be instruments of His love

Devotions from Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

God who loves us is a God who listens and hear our cries, even to those groans we can’t put into words. Listening is one of the most precious gifts we can give to someone we love. We all feel valued for who we are and recognized as a unique human being when we are truly listened to. When we really listen to others we are saying we care and we respect their uniqueness and how they feel. When we make the effort to listen it involves 3 things: respectful silence, total attention, and appropriate response. We need to restrain ourselves from interrupting and become quiet inside. Without concentrating on what someone is saying, genuine listening is probably not happening. Without indicating some understanding of what is being said and felt in our verbal response, the person may not feel listened to. Empathetic listening is not easy and we need uninterrupted time together. For couples it is good to go on a weekly date to have time alone. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because Christians are talking when they should be listening. “

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

“Compassionate caring is the acid test of the authentic Christ-following life.” If our spiritual disciplines don’t result in others close to us feeling more valued and loved then our practices are empty. If our relationship with Him is ever deepening it will show in our care for others. When we belong to His kingdom then we will share with others the same kind of compassion we have received from God. The great commandment to love others as we do ourselves. helps break our ingrained self-centeredness and narcissism  to become instruments of His love for others.  As we love like this we become alive and responsive, and life has fresh meaning.  We are told in Eph. 5:2 “Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.”  We can start by loving those closest to us, but we need help from beyond ourselves to do this. Asking for God’s help and sharing our struggles with a faithful friend who will listen to us and pray with us helps tremendously. “Confession-whether it happens in the inner sanctuary of our soul or in the presence of another-opens clogged channels between God and ourselves, allows for the in-pouring of His love,  and provides us with new resources for the work of love.”

Devotions based on Trevor Hudson’s  book, Discovering our Spiritual Identity

If we were to think of one word to describe God, it would probably be HOLY. “God is holy because He loves, and loves because He is holy. The Wholly Other is wholly for us,” says Donald McCullough. When Jesus was here on earth He was his own person. He was the same inside and out, never wore masks, and was his true self.  To be holy like Him, is to put Him first and become more truly ourselves. That  means less self-centered and more concerned about the needs of others. How does this happen? On the one side we are made holy by His Spirit who transforms us. As we are open to Him, we are transformed into instruments of His love and nourished in our relationship with Him. The other side requires our co-operation , as it says in Heb . 12:14, “make every effort to be holy.”  There are activities we can do that place our lives more consciously before God so that we can be changed. Two important ones are making space to be alone in God’s presence and exposing ourselves to the suffering of others. More tomorrow on this.