kingdom travelin'

““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” Psalm‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You can’t change anyone.

Not me.

Not you.

But you can pray.

As you pray for me, God changes both your heart for me and, God willing, my heart toward you.

“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.” Psalm‬ ‭36‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

On this date, November 22, 1963, C. S. Lewis died.

He wrote a lot of letters, many of them answering the letters of others who wrote him to ask about question about the Christian life.

In one such answer to a Miss Bodle, who asked about prayer, he wrote this paragraph:

“Of course it is very difficult to keep God only before one for more than a few seconds. Our minds are in ruins before we bring them to Him & the rebuilding is gradual. It may help to practice concentration on other objects twice a week quite apart from one’s prayer: i.e. sit down looking at some physical object (say, a flower) and try for a few minutes to attend exclusively to it, quietly (never impatiently) rejecting the train of thought & imagination wh. keep starting up.”

Only a person who actually prays could write with such insight about prayer.

Only one who actually tries to pray would resonate with his description of the challenge of praying.

Note his last words: “…keep starting up.”

Yes, you will drift off, but when you realize it, start again, and keep starting up. In time when we keep practicing, we’ll keep getting better, until the day we stop, because, like he has been for 61 years, we will see the Lord face to face and we’ll no longer be distracted.

_______

Click here to read the letter in its entirety.

I love that picture ⬆️

I’ve never grabbed a shot that captures the curvature of the earth like this one.

I think of it each month when I read this ⬇️

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭103‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is so great in His kindness, mercy, and compassion. Run to Him.

“For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭97‬:‭9‬, ‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When struggle comes I need to refocus on Him more than I do the struggle.