Is Your One Thing the Main Thing?

My son Simon the other night had what is known as "croup cough". If you don't have children or don't know what that is, it restricts a child's breathing to the point that when they cough, they sound like a barking seal with a bad smoking habit. Now when your child is having difficulty breathing, getting them to breath properly takes on a new level of importance, because after all breathing is crucial to staying alive. So I did things that night that I wouldn't normally do. First of all, I stayed up most of the night. I don't know about you, but I prefer to sleep at night. But me sleeping was trumped by making sure my son could breath. Secondly, I bundled up to walk about is sub-freezing temperatures. I usually don't take walks at 2 am in my pajamas when it's 17 degrees, but apparently this helps their breathing. Him breathing was more important. Also, I called a friend of ours who is a nurse. I usually don't make calls to friends at 2 am either, but my son breathing was more important. If I was going to do anything that night, it was making sure my son breathed properly. That night, that was my one thing.

David says something similar in Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."

David discovered that his one thing - that which he would seek after was being in God's presence.

How would you fill in that blank? What is your one thing? What is it in your life that takes a back seat when that one thing is threatened?

God Eats Mexican

Last night was a holy moment for me. And it didn't occur "at church", or in my prayer closet (both great places to be by the way), but it occurred at a little Mexican restaurant in Fenton, MO called "3 Margaritas". And just to clear the record, I didn't drink 3 Margaritas.

But while I was eating my "Burrito Macho" and laughing with good friends, God showed up to me in a powerful way. And overwhelming impression I felt, was that this is how He longs to relate to me! Relaxed, laughing, two-way conversation, trust, memories. The Creator of the Universe is huge and powerful and the supreme authority, and yet He so desires to relate to me in such a real way.

Maybe your feeling a little dry and formal when it comes to you and God. It doesn't have to be that way! He doesn't want it to be that way! Ask Him to meet you in a fresh way. And just a little practical advise - don't just look for Him in a church building or your prayer closet, I learned last night that He eats Mexican too.

Get Out Into the Rain

It has not rained much year. It has been difficult to keep plants alive and I have noticed where my lawn was turning brown. For those that want to keep things green, last week’s downpours were a welcomed change. My parched plants in the backyard got their much-needed drink and my grass is looking a little greener. I did notice, however, that our plants hanging underneath the front porch were still looking haggard and dried up. You see since these plants were sheltered from the rain, they didn’t get watered and as far as they are concerned, it was as if it didn't rain at all.

This got me thinking about spiritual matters and my own life and your life. Without the continue shower of God’s presence, our lives can shrivel up and lose spiritual vitality. The good news is that God presence is always raining. We just need to get out there and enjoy it and receive the benefit of doing so. However, sometimes we stay underneath shelter while God’s presence is pouring. The result is we begin to lose life like the plants on my front porch. At those times, it seems as though God is not really available. And we grow cynical and hard and callus. What we need is to be reminded that God is raining down his presence all the time. It is just a matter of us getting outside from underneath our shelters to receive from and experience him.