Daily Office - Unconditional Faith

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)

2) Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. 

3) Devotional
I was just reading an emailed devotional this morning from the writings of A.W. Tozer, one of the best known Christian & Missionary Alliance Pastors, and writers, of the 20th century. From over 50 years ago, Tozer’s words challenged my faith to grow up and mature, no matter how “mature” I may think I already am... faith must constantly be trained on God, not my experience of what He’s done for me lately…

“We must be concerned with the person and character of God, not the promises.  Through promises we learn what God has willed to us, we learn what we may claim as our heritage, we learn how we should pray.  But faith itself must rest on the character of God.”

I’m concerned that what we call faith today is most commonly a conditional response to a good situation, or, a fallback position when all our other options have failed in a bad one.

“Why do we not tell them that they must get beyond the point of making God a lifeboat for their rescue or a ladder to get them out of a burning building? How can we help our people get over the idea that God exists just to help run their businesses or fly their airplanes?

God is not a railway porter who carries your suitcase and serves you. God is God. He made heaven and earth. He holds the world in His hand. He measures the dust of the earth in the balance. He spreads the sky out like a mantle. He is the great God Almighty. He is not your servant. He is your Father, and you are His child. He sits in heaven, and you are on the earth.”

                                                                    -A.W. Tozer, Faith Beyond Reason, 44.

May you, and I, learn the blessing of practicing unconditional faith.

4) Questions to Consider
How have I loved God conditionally based on what I think He has done for me?

5) Prayer
Father God, forgive me for loving You conditionally, when you've loved me without condition in spite of all my failings. Thank you for your unconditional love of grace in Jesus Christ. Amen

Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)

Daily Office for April 25, 2011 - Perseverance

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)

2) Devotional
 & Scripture

Why do we often feel like giving up or quitting? A primary reason we are tempted to give up is other people….the less than 20% whose major role it is in life to encourage others to toss in the towel. These “white flag” specialists never run out of excuses you and I ought to use for quitting. I have met many “why-sweat-it” experts on the three continents where I have lived life.

I would imagine Anne Mansfield Sullivan had a host of folks telling her that the blind, seven-year-old brat wasn’t worth her trouble. But Anne persevered—in spite of temper tantrums, physical abuse, mealtime madness, and even thankless parents. In her heart she knew it was worth all the pain. Indeed she was right. Within two years the young girl was able to read and write in braille. She eventually graduated from Radcliffe College, where Miss Sullivan had “spelled” each lecture into her hand, and Helen Keller devoted the rest of her life to aiding the deaf and the blind.

Perseverance is difficult but it always pays. It is a costly investment but the dividends are so much greater than the original outlay that you’ll almost forget the price. In some cases the final benefits are so significant that you may wonder why you ever hesitated in the beginning.

When I think of Jesus on the Mt. of Olives I am encouraged that even he felt like quitting. He cried: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). But He persevered; never quit…even when the drops of blood pushed though on his forehead from the stress of anticipated suffering.

You and I can recall a time or two when we felt like quitting too. We also remember a time or two when God could have (and perhaps should have) wiped us off the face of the earth. But he didn’t. Why? Because of the great truth in Philippians 1:6:

He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ—right up to the time of His return—developing that good work and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

Whatever you do, don’t quit! God in not through with you yet!

4) Questions to Consider Where is God leading you to practice perseverance?

5) Prayer
Lord, give me courage today.  Help me resist temptation to give up.  Help me see that you have crafted a unique journey for me.  I surrender my needs and desires to be in control. Lord over my life, Jesus.  In your name I pray.  Amen.

Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)