Rebooting

My wife Marceen and I enjoying sunrise on the beach in Florida while
starting the day in Genesis 1 - a perfect and beautiful place for that.

As I sit here writing these words, it is a reminder of how powerful it is to sit in His presence and His Word and simply journal my thoughts.

My relationship with Christ has been strengthening over the past year, and much due to being in community with others that are passionate for Him, and thus fanning into flame and encouraging my own walk. We are meant to be in community and encouraged - it is a beautiful thing.

Certain things make my time with the Lord even more profound, and to journal is one of them. So I hope that I can restart my journaling discipline that so often encourages my own walk.  As I try to get back to this, I am remembering something that I thought I would share with you all in case it resonates with you. Years ago I was introduced to a simply technique; SOAP:

• S: Scripture
• O: Observation
• A: Application
• P: Prayer

It's a simple but powerful way to take pause with a passage where God is speaking, sit with it, and pray over how we can apply this truth to our own lives today ... so that our faith becomes action.

Faith without action is like a life with no adventure!

   You can live, but are you really living?

So when I read passages like this ...

'For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.' - Romans 7:22-23

This verse speaks so clearly to me. The more I'm in His Word, the more His Word and law is an absolute delight to me. It's like the comforting and protective arms of a parent keeping you safe ... the good book opens and I immediately feel the delight in my inner being ... I love being here ... in His presence, in His Word ... 

Then as if I'm an LMD from Marvel Agents of Shield, I watch as my flesh carries out actions, words, and thoughts that are so contrary to His law. (it's an android-ish thing - but I think you get my point!)

Though thankfully the passage continues, wretched man that I am, who will save me? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!

Applying this truth for me today is simply a reminder and call to spend time in His Word (hard to delight in something I don't know deeply) as well as letting go of my control and thoughts of earning His favor - simply resting in the Grace that comes through what Jesus Christ paid on my behalf. May I strive to honor Him in all I do as my Lord - but always know that He's forever mine ... and nothing I can do will ever make Him love me more, or love me less ... 

His,

Matthew

Prayer Request: That I can keep disciplined in my journaling thus keeping me closer to Him - as intentional reflection helps me focus. Also I've really struggled with my relationship with food - that I can crave Him more than calories and by so honor Him in the way I live.

Praise: A safe trip to and from Florida with my family, and being able to share time together to make memories that last a lifetime.