Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Matthew 11:2-11
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the
things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to
ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,
or should we keep looking for someone else?”
4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you
have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, the
lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life,
and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 6 And
tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because
of me.
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking
about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into
the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by
every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man
dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive
clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet?
Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to
whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    and he will prepare your way before you
11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is
greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in
the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

Reflection:

Special effects are much more spectacular than ever before.
Combine the special effects of the twenty-first century with
surround sound, and we have movies that our parents and
grandparents could have never imagined. We now have 3D
movies with sound effects that are off the charts. Many
people are so captivated by this new technology that they
are getting it for their homes, creating home theaters that
give them a comparable experience without leaving their
driveways.

What we see and hear are important. Jesus knew that the
ultimate visual effect was physical and spiritual healing. The
testimony of a life transformed by God was better than any
technology. Not even the best action flick could compare to
a life touched by God. It was not only the words but the
deeds that followed Jesus that had the ultimate affect. It
was the combination of signs and wonders that followed our
Savior and his disciples that drew others to ask questions
that would lead to transformation. What are people seen and
hearing in your life? Does your life testify that Christ lives in you?

Prayer:

Lord, what do people see and hear from my journey? Empower
me to draw people closer to you. Amen

(Covenant Home Alter, author Gricel Medina)

Scripture:

Isaiah 35:8-10
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
    It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
    It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
    fools will never walk there.
9 Lions will not lurk along its course,
    nor any other ferocious beasts.
There will be no other dangers.
    Only the redeemed will walk on it.
10 Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.
    They will enter Jerusalem[a] singing,
    crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
    and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

Reflection:

I travel a lot by car, and I have spent a lot of time on
highways. Highways are convenient-they bypass towns,
stoplights, and intersections. Some can get you from
one state to the next. But they are not so much fun when
the traffic is heavy. And the wrong highway can get you
lost and going in circles. They can exasperate the most
stable of souls. Highways are meant to connect us and
make life easier.

God has created a highway of holiness for us. God's
highway is the one which will get us to our spiritual
destination safely. It is not always the Highway of choice
but it is the best one for us. Which highway are you on
today? Are you going in circles on the wrong highway of
the world? Get back on the right road. The path of holiness
is the safest highway.

Prayer:

Lord, show me which highway I am on. Help me get back
on track. Your highway is always the right one for me. Amen

(Covenant Home Alter, author Gricel Medina)

Scripture:

Isaiah 35:5-7
New Living Translation (NLT)
5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes
of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.
6 The lame will leap like a deer,
    and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,
    and streams will water the wasteland.
7 The parched ground will become a pool,
    and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish
    where desert jackals once lived.

Reflection:

Texas can be blazing hot during the summer. The
ground can get so parched and cracked that it looks
like and alligators skin. Moisture evaporates and the
air-conditioners get a severe work out. Once, while
driving through a small town, I saw signs on the
houses saying, "Pray for rain." During severe climate
changes, it is refreshing to imagine the visual pictures.

God gives us so many of these images in the Bible
such as "streams in the desert" (v.6).
I often have looked back and thought of how dry my
life has been at times. I felt like that parched ground
in the Texas sun. Yet it is through those times that
God has faithfully reminded me that he can make
rivers in the desert. He can make me bloom given in
the midst of the most challenging of seasons.
Where are you today? Are you facing a desert? Be
encouraged! God is able to restore and make you
bloom even in the desert.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for reminding me that you are the
creator of all things. Yes, even of the desert. Amen

(Covenant Home Altar, author Gricel Medina)