Waking up Monday mornings is one of my better days of the week.  The plans and thoughts for the week bring me right out of a deep sleep eager to get up and go.  Michigan winters battle me for just a moment though.  We lower our heat to 55° at night and it doesn’t go up until about 30 minutes before my wife and children get up.  I slip on warm clothes, slippers and rush down stairs brew the Starbucks (House blend this am), and huddle under the blanket that a wonderful lady in our church made me.  It doesn’t take but a moment for the eagerness for the day to seize me again, once I start warming up.  Coffee in hand, Bible in the other and, ah it’s morning!

Today I meditate on applying this week’s message, Choosing the Life that God Blesses.  The stories of the Bible reveal the struggles of people who are confronted with the choice of choosing the way that God blesses or taking matters into their own hands.  Choosing obedient faith is challenge, especially when you can’t see the answer or the blessing.   Taking matters into your own hands usually involves doing what seems right in your challenges, even it means disobeying God.  Readers of the Bible are familiar with the refrain of obedience brings the blessing of victory and disobedience brings the curse of defeat.  So why do so many Christians struggle with obedience.  Perhaps it’s a lack of trust.  We want the blessing but if we live self centered lives rather than God centered lives it is difficult to trust God.  If we don’t trust God we won’t obey God.

One of the songs from my childhood helps me apply this truth, Trust and Obey.  Both are completely necessary for a passionate follower of Christ.  Trusting God helps me to live obediently even when the Lord seems distant or even when I tempted to think that disobedience would be wiser than obedience.  With both we can grow and experience the fullness of God’s richest blessings in our life.

I call upon the Lord for my family and Woodland Church.  Calling their names out to the Lord, praying for obedient hearts, growth in faith, a love for all that is holy and for lost people, fervor grows within me.  Names of men and their families from Woodland come to mind as I intercede for them; warmth fills my soul on this Monday morning.  I’m grateful to be alive, to be Becky’s husband, my children’s Dad, and pastor to Woodland.  I’m warm and I want another cup of coffee.  It’s the day the Lord has made!

Will you choose this life of blessing?

Tomorrow – Becoming Aware of My Need is putting myself in a place to be blessed!

Peace and Joy!