Christian Reflection and Prayer

Most of us go to doctors who give us instructions
that we don’t always understand, or pills with
ingredients we haven’t heard of. But we take them
because we know that they will make us better.
Have you ever had a computer technician work on
your computer? Most of us haven’t a clue about
what they are doing. But whatever they do, it sure
seems to work (at least most of the time). In our
physical world, we let go of the need to understand
all of the time. We need to do the same in our
spiritual lives as well.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Faith is taking
the first step even when you don’t see the whole
staircase.” We may not understand where our path
is leading us, or why there are so many twists and
turns. We don’t have to!  We don’t have to
understand God’s ways, but we do have to have
faith to obey and trust Him. It’s those things that we
can’t understand that ultimately give direction to our
lives.

There is a great quote from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in
Wonderland" with a profound message. Alice has
arrived at a crossroads and she doesn't know which
path to choose, so she asks advice from a Cheshire
cat sitting in the trees: "Which road do I take?" she
asks. "Where do you want to go?" the cat responds.
"I don't know," Alice answers." "Then it doesn't matter,
" says the cat.

And as often occurs in life today, when people have
no direction, they sometimes end up on roads that
lead them astray. If this poor soul had a destination
in mind when he “went out” perhaps he would have
passed by the fight that led him to curse God and he
might have lived. But once he got off track and made
a wrong turn, he started down a dangerous road and
was ultimately lost forever.

We need to be crystal clear about where we are
headed in life if we want to ensure that we stay on the
right track. Every decision we make and every step
that we take ought to be guided by our desired
destination. Wherever we go, let’s make sure that we
 are headed toward God.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

Scripture:

Psalm 101:1-4

Reflection:

Brennan Manning says, to live by grace means
to acknowledge my whole life story, the light
side and the dark. In admitting my shadow side
I learn who I am and what God's grace means.
When I have experienced his grace, I humbly
sing songs of love and praise to God with all
 that I am.

I experience the grace most deeply when I have
acknowledged the shortcomings, temptations,
and desires that increase the distance between
me and God, instead of drawing me closer. I may
reject them, but the desire often lingers. The
psalmist recognizes the desires this world and
the ego holdes. I will be careful, while also crying
out to God for aid—His grace. That grace is
offered to each of us. It is offered to our shadow
side and light side. I will humbly bring us to our
knees in gratitude and praise.

Prayer:

Gracious God, I recognize my desires that put
distance between us. I cry out to you, and you
were there. I am yours. All of me. Amen

(The Covenant Home Alter, Daily Devotions,
author Jennifer Andersson)