God with me?

(03.10.11—Spiritual Discipline!--Proverbs 8:17)

May I ask you a question? How about this? Do you expect to run into God today? How about tomorrow or for that matter, how about every day?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

How expectant are you? Do you get up each day with an expectation of what you hope to get done and how you plan on doing it? Or, do you just let your day blow in the wind, to and fro, without an expectation of anything in particular might happen and, if it did, you’d be pleased, even lucky it did? People who put a lot of value in expecting are rare and the rea- son is simple: expectations unfulfilled can lead to disappointment. And, if you don’t particularly enjoy disappointment perhaps the best way to avoid it is to start with little or no expectation. That way you risk little and gain much. My experience, however, is one of expectation. I just have a hard time facing the day without a good idea of what to expect. I don’t particularly mind the occasional disappointment as long as a few things work out along the way.

How about this? Do you expect to run into God today? How about tomorrow or for that matter, how about every day?

Here's a story: Nicholas Herman was born in Lorraine, France, in 1605. At age fifty, wanting a richer spiritual life, Nicholas joined a Carmelite monastery in Paris. But he was assigned to the kitchen, a task that struck him as insulting and humbling. For several years, he went about his chores grudgingly but dutifully. One day Nicholas decided to change his thinking. He began frequently reminding himself of how constantly God's presence hovered about him. He began to expect God’s presence wherever and whatever he was doing. Even the most menial tasks, Nicholas realized, if undertaken for God's glory, are holy; and wherever the Christian stands-even in a hot, thankless kitchen-is holy ground, for the Lord is there too. Nicholas's demeanor gradually changed, and others began asking him a reason for his radiance. Christian leaders sought him out and valued his advice and years after his death a fellow monk compiled Nicholas’s thoughts and writing into a book appropriately titled: “Practicing The Presence of God.” (Robert J. Morgan)

When you woke up today did you expect to experience the presence of God in your life? I don’t just mean that you will think about Him and the fact that He is watching over you. Rather, do you expect that He will be walking by your side today and you WILL know it? In Proverbs God reminds us that if we seek Him daily He will make a point of “finding” us. In my book that means God will search me out, take me by the shoulders and announce to me in a way that I will know and experience, He is standing next to me as a spirit in the name of Christ. He is present in my life, literally. I have this expectation and a daily basis because when God makes a promise, He can’t break it. Expectation of God’s presence is a discipline that you and I need to cultivate daily. When we do we will lead richer and more fulfilling lives.

We pray. Heavenly Father, You have asked us to be humble, to make every task that we do in the course of life, whether small and unimportant or big and critically necessary, a task that is done to Your glory and not for our benefit. Forgive us when we balk, especially at the small and humble tasks, and refuse to give You the glory You deserve in all our daily efforts. Help us to keep a mind constantly focused on Your purposes and not our own. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

God with me?

(03.10.11—Spiritual Discipline!--Proverbs 8:17)

May I ask you a question? How about this? Do you expect to run into God today? How about tomorrow or for that matter, how about every day?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

How expectant are you? Do you get up each day with an expectation of what you hope to get done and how you plan on doing it? Or, do you just let your day blow in the wind, to and fro, without an expectation of anything in particular might happen and, if it did, you’d be pleased, even lucky it did? People who put a lot of value in expecting are rare and the rea- son is simple: expectations unfulfilled can lead to disappointment. And, if you don’t particularly enjoy disappointment perhaps the best way to avoid it is to start with little or no expectation. That way you risk little and gain much. My experience, however, is one of expectation. I just have a hard time facing the day without a good idea of what to expect. I don’t particularly mind the occasional disappointment as long as a few things work out along the way.

How about this? Do you expect to run into God today? How about tomorrow or for that matter, how about every day?

Here's a story: Nicholas Herman was born in Lorraine, France, in 1605. At age fifty, wanting a richer spiritual life, Nicholas joined a Carmelite monastery in Paris. But he was assigned to the kitchen, a task that struck him as insulting and humbling. For several years, he went about his chores grudgingly but dutifully. One day Nicholas decided to change his thinking. He began frequently reminding himself of how constantly God's presence hovered about him. He began to expect God’s presence wherever and whatever he was doing. Even the most menial tasks, Nicholas realized, if undertaken for God's glory, are holy; and wherever the Christian stands-even in a hot, thankless kitchen-is holy ground, for the Lord is there too. Nicholas's demeanor gradually changed, and others began asking him a reason for his radiance. Christian leaders sought him out and valued his advice and years after his death a fellow monk compiled Nicholas’s thoughts and writing into a book appropriately titled: “Practicing The Presence of God.” (Robert J. Morgan)

When you woke up today did you expect to experience the presence of God in your life? I don’t just mean that you will think about Him and the fact that He is watching over you. Rather, do you expect that He will be walking by your side today and you WILL know it? In Proverbs God reminds us that if we seek Him daily He will make a point of “finding” us. In my book that means God will search me out, take me by the shoulders and announce to me in a way that I will know and experience, He is standing next to me as a spirit in the name of Christ. He is present in my life, literally. I have this expectation and a daily basis because when God makes a promise, He can’t break it. Expectation of God’s presence is a discipline that you and I need to cultivate daily. When we do we will lead richer and more fulfilling lives.

We pray. Heavenly Father, You have asked us to be humble, to make every task that we do in the course of life, whether small and unimportant or big and critically necessary, a task that is done to Your glory and not for our benefit. Forgive us when we balk, especially at the small and humble tasks, and refuse to give You the glory You deserve in all our daily efforts. Help us to keep a mind constantly focused on Your purposes and not our own. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.