September 16th Daily Word and Visions from God
John 18.1-18-Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidwon at a place where thate was a garden. He and his disciples entered it.
2 Chronicles 26-But then the strength and success went to his head. Arrogant and proud, he fell.
Psalm 83-...don't give me the silent treatment...
James 3.1-12-My dear freinds, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn't right.
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A window fan pulling in cool late season summer air. I love this time of year. When the air is cool at night and heats up during the day. I love a window fan. I love to bring in the outside air. Bring that air into the house and sit next to the fan with its steady hum. The fan brings me comfort. Or is it the movement of the air that brings comfort? Jesus prayed. I think in prayer there is some struggle and some comfort. There may be a plea. There may be some praise. I may be humble in prayer. I may feel God's exultation in prayer. Jesus prayed then left with his disciples and went over the Kidron. A brook that separated the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. Two big places of contrast in the life of Jesus. Contrast this thought with prayer and I think of comfort and struggle. In Chronicles there was a struggle with the comfort of God and the arrogance of a successful King. Comfort and struggle. When someone gives me the silent treatment...it seems that silence may bring comfort...but in the silent treatment, there is no comfort...it is comfort verses struggle. And with my words. I can bring comfort or bring struggle and gossip. All from the same mouth. My window fan is just like this now that I think of it. Bringing comfort yet struggling to force the breeze. How much greater satisfaction can I get from a cool gentle breeze than from the forced air of a fan. And then I think of how God brings me comfort through his Spirit. Through the gentle breath, through the gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit, God brings me comfort through and out of my struggle. Comfort yet in the midst of struggle, I need to realize that I can't force things to happen but must trust in the gentle flow of the Spirit into my life to lead and guide me through struggle into comfort. Yea, the window fan. I take comfort in the work it does bringing me a breath of cool, fresh air. But, it sure can't be compared to the gentle breeze and comfort brought out of struggle that prayer with Jesus, and the breath of the Holy Spirit bring. Thanks be to God!
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Lord, send now your gentle breeze and comfort of the Holy Spirit into my life, into my heart, into my day. You are God! Only through you can I cross the brook from comfort to struggle and from struggle to comfort in life. I look to you this day. ---Amen
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