Interstitial (Acts 17:26-27)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “interstitial.”  Have you ever wondered about how you ended up at this particular place in life? I know for me, I often ponder where I would be if I made different decisions over the course of time. When I first became a Christian I remember my pastor telling me that I would be the sum of the people that I hung out with, and the books that I read. I decided early on to take that to heart. I realized that some of the people I was hanging out with were not really the best influence on me. On the other hand, there were some very good relationships that I had. It was now up to me to decipher from that point on which ones were good and which ones were not very helpful. The best part about all this though, was that I started to gain an understanding about what it meant to trust God through the process.

“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” ~Acts 17:26-27

My question is: if God is the one who ordained and appointed the boundaries of time, what are you doing to fit within that kind of God-inspired life? May be a little bit deep, I know. But, if we want to be on the same page with God we must allow him to permeate every part of our being. Each day brings something new, and someone or something that will influence us. Sometimes it is the interstitial times in life, within thin threads, that we experience God. My prayer is that you are open to God speaking to you in new ways each day.

Praying for you,

MO

Volte-face (Acts 9:1-19)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “volte-face.”  I think one of the most intriguing stories in the Bible is that of the conversion of Saul.  If there was any guy who was completely against Christianity and what it stood for, it was this guy.  He was raised to be a very smart dude, and had everything going for him in his life.  In fact, at one point, where we meet him, he is continuing his persecution of those who believed in Christ Jesus crucified and resurrected.  However, he experiences an abrupt change at a moment that he least expects it.

Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” ~Acts 9:3-6

My question is: was there ever a time in your life where you thought you had something right, only to find out that you are totally off base?  That's a pretty humbling experience.  In fact, as I grow older I realize that there is less and less that I actually know, and more that I need to learn.  What Saul learned here on the road to Damascus was that his entire life's achievements and endeavors were completely in the wrong.  He experienced in one moment that he needed to make a complete 180° turn, or volte-face.  My prayer is that you evaluate your priorities and see if living with and for Christ Jesus crucified could be something that would add value both to your life and those around you.

Praying for you,

MO