The Gift of Service

Merit raises, performance bonuses, fee for service, and promotions, all have one thing in common. They are things we earn. If we are not careful our Christian life can reflect the same pattern - doing more to earn more. Who puts that pressure on us? Our acquaintances, those we lead and most of all, ourselves.
No one wants to admit to having "feet of clay" so we do everything possible to live an image.
Listen, God loves you and his favor is a free gift. One cannot earn a gift.
Yes, we work and try to be steadfast in our devotion to God but it's not because those actions will get us extra points.
What we do is from a place of deep gratitude for what he has already done. If works have made you the hamster in the wheel, you will only get burnt out. You won't be happier by simply going faster; you won't be fulfilled by being recognized. At least not for long.
That is why the Word tells us to do all we do as unto God i.e. to please him. That's it. Not for reward or promotion but as a gift to him. We don't expect payment when we give a gift, right?
Next week or next work day remember to pray: Lord, let all my service to others be a gift to you.
Amen.

Finding true joy

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk
Duty can be the death of happiness let alone joy. Focusing on duty only causes us to dwell on where we would rather be instead of all the intricacies of the moments happening right around us.
Every minute we spend is time we cannot ever recapture. And every minute we live, as children of God, are ordered by him. Oh yes, he's there at the unpleasant jobs whether it is seeing to the bodily comforts of a disabled person or waiting until the individual yelling at us runs out of breath.
God is there when we have plans for time off and the call comes to take someone somewhere and minutes turn to hours as we serve.
We are not our own and no one is absolutely free to do exactly as he or she pleases. The key then is to find joy in the moment. It does not have to be big, overwhelming things. It's flowers, sunshine, a thank you that came packaged in a smile, and most of all the being alive to experience it all.
God is there in duty or in desire. Whichever road you are on today, focus on Him and even duty will bring unexpected joy.

He'll Carry you!

...He stirs up your nest. He disappoints your hopes. He brings down your confidence. He makes you fear and tremble, as all your strength fails, and you feel utterly weary and helpless. And all the while He is spreading His strong wings for you to rest your weakness on and offering His everlasting Creator strength to work in you. And all He asks is that you sink down in your weariness and wait on Him. Allow Him in His Jehovah strength to carry you as you ride upon the wings of His omnipotence. Dear child of God, I pray you, lift up your eyes, and behold your God! Listen to Him who says that He "fainteth not, neither is weary" (Isa. 40:28), who promises that you too will not faint or be weary, who asks nothing but this one thing, that you should wait on Him. And, let your answer be, With such a God, so mighty, so faithful, so tender, My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Just Waiting ...

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk
Waiting on God. Funny, we never think about how much of life is spent, just waiting.
There are lines for everything and traffic lights to everywhere. We wait to be friends, sweethearts, and spouses and then we wait for children. Birth,  grow up and out of the house.

Then there are the seasons of time as we pass through the seasons of life.

One would think we would have gotten accustomed to the idea that very little come immediately.
We pray, and pray, and pray until we begin to doubt that God really cares. But nature itself teaches there is a blessing in the waiting.

Like a baby in the womb or fruits on the vine, waiting is not inactivity. While we are not permitted to see the inner workings leading up to answered prayer, they are maturing and in time will be visible in the natural.

Yes it's hard work and faith is often challenged. Nevertheless, wait on the Lord ...wait I say on the Lord.

Lord I'm walking, waiting on you to overtake me.

Someone Needs You!

Some of the most caring promises in the Bible have to do with God making sure people are not lonely, even if alone. He promises to marry to the backslider, to be a Father to the fatherless, and to place the widow in families.
Why? Because like the child says, we sometimes need God "with skin on " we need human relationships.
You may be very happy in your nuclear family but the nose pressed up against the windowpane of your life, longing for the warmth within, may be your relative. Why should your co-workers know you as awesome friend and best buddy, when the person with whom you shared space in the womb, long for the sound of your voice or to know you care? Someone you know, someone with whom you share the same DNA may be at the point of giving up. All they need is one sign that someone cares. Will you be the one?
Suicide is on the rise because people walk to the end of themselves and are unable to find their way back ...
Burst your bubble and touch someone. God may chose to do a world of good through you if you just reach out.

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk

Did my 5.5 miles😲😎!
That's not the best part however. The absolute best part is having my antennae up and my eyes open to all the LORD would quicken to my  spirit. Today I learned two things about the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Neither of my rabbit friends wanted to sit long enough for a picture.  One just froze as it saw me forgetting to chew the piece of greenery hanging from its mouth ...
Looking down from my great height all l saw was tangled undergrowth and a terrified little rabbit failing miserably at the game of chameleon. When it realized I wasn't going to move, it turned around, ducked under the brush, and bolted in a straight line .
The second lesson was, I took an umbrella in spite of the clear skies when I started my walk. Not only did it not rain, I ended up carrying something I did not need because I did not know enough about weather to simply trust my eyes.
God gives us his Holy Spirit to get us home in spite of obstacles. That rabbit's instincts guided it as surely and exactly to its warren as if the way was paved. The Spirit within us knows the way and where the casual observer sees tangles and chaos, He is still able to take us directly where we need to be. 
Faith is also not taking the umbrella of plans a,b, and c because of past experieces. Rather, it's trusting the Spirit within and walking out in faith. God knows the way.
The lesson then is let us  trust the Holy Spirit in us to see what we can't, and know what we  don't,. After all, this walk is not by might or power but by the Spirit of the LORD.