Sunday, January 27, 2013

A lesson from a Blind Man...

Luke 18:35-43

New International Version (NIV)

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

This passage was the subject of our sermon today at Shades... and the story struck quite a chord with me. Today was one of those days at church when I was really emotionally... those happen sometimes and I just start crying when I pray, when I sing, when I reflect on the word. It all started because the first song I heard this morning was "I want to stroll over Heaven with you" which was sang at Daddy's funeral. From the beginning this morning I was missing him. Then at church we were asked to pray for our nation, and all I could think of was my sweet dear friend Ryan Rayborn who has been in Afghanistan for a little over a month... we were praying in groups within the congregation, and I literally couldn't say the words I wanted to because I was overcome with emotions for my friend. I worry about him so and all I can do it pray for him, so that is what I do... pray for safety, encouragement, and for the opportunity for him to be the amazing example to his fellow soldiers that he has always been for me. 

Chad, our Minister to University Students delivered the sermon today, and he has a great way of relating God's Word to His people. The passage, which you can read above, tells the story of a blind man who had faith that God could heal him, and even though he could not see him as he traveled by, he shouted for the Lord not to pass him by, and to have mercy on him. 

As I listened to the sermon and the story of the man of such faith, I pulled a Danny Cole and wrote a poem while in church...

Do Not Pass Me By
1/27/2013 by Kacey
---
Do not pass me by Lord, 
do something in me.
Teach me your ways Lord, 
so that I can be what you want me to be.
On the days when I'm sad and the times that I'm blue, 
I pray that I will not seek comfort from things of this world, 
but that my hope will remain in You.
I know the storms will come and the wind will blow, 
for those are the words my daddy dedicated to me...
and I know you will see me through those storms, 
because you, my Father, sent your Son so that I may be free.

You know my heart Lord, better than me
so please dear Lord remind me always that by You I am free. 
Free from doubt and self-consciousness, 
because you created me unique, created me the way you need me to be.
Don't pass me by Lord, please show me your ways,
for by them is the only way I will survive the rest of my days.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Priorities...

The beginning of 2013 has come and over the last few weeks I have been pondering a few things, and God has been laying several of them on my heart. I continue my constant desire for knowledge of His Will (or my skewed interests which are the next place I will live, job I will have, etc...), but I realize that my desire is without action. I may make it a priority to want to know... but I have not made it a priority to find the truth.

The truth about me is this (among many others)... I waste too much time in my life, and don't use the time I am given wisely. I work about 9 hours a day and come home to cook dinner and TV, maybe read a book, and then go to sleep way too late. Some nights I'll have dinner with a friend and on Wednesdays I help out at church... but all of this stuff... it does nothing for my relationship with the Lord .

To put it simply, I give Honey Boo Boo more time than God.

I admit it, I love reality TV like Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty. I enjoy reality competition shows like Project Runway and The Voice, and watch HGTV like it's my job. I don't watch real news to find out what is going on in the real world affecting other people, instead I watch E! news to find out celebrity gossip. It's really sad... the more I think about it, these opportunities I am wasting to spend time with God in prayer and study or making memories with other friends and neighbors. Additionally I am wasting time that could be spent learning something new, meeting new people, or bettering myself physically through exercise.

This past weekend, and I don't know for what reason, God really impressed upon me the need to spend more time in prayer. I have so many friends who need prayer for a variety of reasons, and that time spent talking to God should take much precedence over the Real Housewives of Wherever...  What I have come to realize, which has always been truth and I have been to ignorant to realize it is that the things I do during my day should be for His Glory and if it isn't... then I shouldn't be doing it. Now I don't think that means no TV or to necessarily spend every moment I am not at work with my nose in the Bible, but I do believe that based on this realization I need to prioritize my days... Each day, in some way, should include the following:
  1. prayer
  2. study
  3. exercise
  4. communication/spending time with friends, family, 
  5. encouragement of others
These things may not come in this order, and frankly I don't know what form they will come in... but it needs to happen. I want my 30th year to be a special one. I have a list I am working on of 30 things I want to do in my 30th year, and I believe through working on my priorities some of those things will just happen.I hope so anyway...

So here's to being a better Kacey in 2013 by being a better Christian. Let's be honest, I'll still watch Duck Dynasty but maybe not as much Honey Boo Boo and Real Housewives. After all, at least they pray at the end of each episode of Duck Dynasty. I hope to spend more time right here, posting my thoughts for Aunt Lanell to read and me to reread when I need to.

On a final note, one straight from the Lord himself (remember, I don't believe in coincidence) ... as I was struggling with some thoughts today the words to "I don't know about tomorrow" came to my head... after I sang through it not too long later I began singing "Just a closer walk with Thee."

Yes Lord, I get the point.

Love y'all,
Kacey