Novemeber is here, which naturally focuses our attention on thankfulness. As I have thought back over this year, I have so much to be grateful for. Here are just a few: Twenty-nine years of marriage, the growth of our family (engagement), ongoing good health, meeting new friends, ministry opportunities and the ability to touch women’s lives with the Gospel. It’s not to say my life was perfect, but perfected by the Master’s hand through each success and trial of life. Challenged by one particular retreat, I taught on the Ten Virgins from Matthew 25: 1-13, I found myself convicted with the oil in my lamp. Was I more like the prudent or the foolish? Did I have a prepepared or a “get by” mentality? Do you find that your lamp is dimming or has it gone out? If you find yourself in the latter, here is a sure way to relight your lamp and let your flame burn brightly.
F – Focus on God
L – Light it every day
A – Allow yourself to be accessed by God
M – (Re)Member all that He has done for you
E – Energized by a person, Jesus
You may be reading this and your flame is burning brightly (PTL) or it is flickering. You have some good weeks and then you fall back into a rutt. God wants us to kindle afresh the gift he has given us (2 timothy 1:6) and let it shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16).
When you catch the fire for yourself, it will be noticable and just as the draggonfly reflects the sun and its iridescent wings put off glistening beauty, so will your life as you reflect the Son through your actions, speech and love.
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
Colossians 4:2-4
Journeying with Him,