Last Friday we went for a 3 hour walk, straight after school which was very good. Because of all the learning going on, I stopped doing my exercises 3 x a week, which is actually not so good for my health, figure and smile. When I went to the doctor in December and he measured my blood pressure, he said it would be a bit high for me. I was very surprised and couldn’t believe it, because I never had problems with it…
What else… I told you, that my priorities have changed, that I wanted to have a prayer time in the morning, before I do anything else. Hm, what shall I say… I haven’t been very good with it.
Let me share a little story: It was 2003, when I woke up on a Sunday morning and the pain I had in my right knee was unbearable. Soon I also had numbness in my right leg. The doctor told me, I had a slipped disc, after lots of time of fasting and praying, I decided to have a surgery. After that, I had to do exercises 3 times a week and often I did this through swimming.
Going back to ‘my priorities’, do you know this feeling: You just do something, because you have to or because you know it helps, like exercising helps my back to stay strong. So is it also with my spiritual life: When I had to struggle with these severe headaches, I focused on God… it looks like that I am doing it more when something isn’t going well. (Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying, that God is not important for me when I am doing alright).
I am talking more about my quite- and quality time with my God. After the pain is gone and life starts to be normal again, God seems suddenly not more as important. So, I guess I just wanted to share, that I have good intensions, but I need the help of the Holy Spirit.
I also wanted to, from January on, read the bible in one year. I have done it a few times, so I thought, what hinders me to do it again… But it just stayed with this thought.
The first few days, I was so busy: New Year, Andy’s Birthday, flying back to France, starting school again etc. didn’t really help me to start with the reading on time. And so, because I was already behind, yes, I didn’t start at all! …
I am a bit disappointed, but at the same time, I realize, I can’t DO ANYTHING WITHOUT HIS HELP. The song comes to my mind: I need Thee every hour. That is so true.
I also defiantly agree what’s written in Psalm 44:
2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our ancestors;
you crushed the peoples
and made our ancestors flourish.
3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.
4 You are my King and my God ...
6 I put no trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
I look forward to all your emails (“My Journey with God”) and delight in reading them --- even though I am not so good at writing back !!!
ReplyDeleteMay I just say that the last one you sent (today, 5th Feb) has really touched my heart and ministered to me in a very specific way.
Thank you very much for being open to the Lord and, in doing so, blessing people like me !
Those verses in Ps 44 are AWESOME.
I pray that the Lord’s Spirit in you will enable you to have good quiet times in the morning and that He will give you His shalom – in mind, body and soul – every day !
Love
You strike lots of chords with your blog Jutta - We think we can do things " under our own steam " and soon find we can t . How do other people manage who aren t Christians ? All our good intentions come to nothing . Sometimes I would say to Gordon " I meant to " do something and he d say " It s not what you meant to do that matters , it s what you DO that matters . "
ReplyDeletePhilipians 4 13 says - or Paul says " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me " Half the time we forget that we need Him .