Day 3 - 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting
Day 3 - James 1:9-11
SCRIPTURE:
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
LESSON:
Something that I have experienced more this past year than ever before is the realization that time is passing me by. At age forty I have probably lived at least half my life. I feel the aches and pains more intently. I am not as energetic as I was in my twenties, my children are growing up so quickly, and several dear family members recently passed away. All of these things have heightened the reality that life is fleeting. This reality has brought to the forefront, all of my hopes and dreams, realized and unrealized, that seem to be forever eluding me in my persistent search for purpose and fulfillment. Do you ever feel like there won’t be enough time to accomplish all your life goals? To experience all the things you wanted to experience and to be everything your potential would allow you to be?
After reflecting on this recently, I talked to God about it. I was pretty clear with him that if he wanted me to do all the things he has called me to do that he would need to stop throwing a wrench into it all the time! This is how a small part of my conversation went…
Melvin: “God, I wanted a family, to be a father, a lot of time would have been saved if you had just let us have kids the normal way. We wasted a lot of time and emotional energy with infertility. Sure we have a beautiful family and I love my kids… but shoot Lord! I am getting older and my kids are mostly still little! I won’t be around to enjoy my grandkids as much as I want to. And then too, Tamela’s cancer… that killed three years of our life and complicated the last decade plus! That’s just not what we thought it would be like when we signed up for this. And goodness Lord, Faith Family Community Church… What were you thinking? Why have you put so many roadblocks in our path? We should be packed every week! And Winter Garden Christian Academy… What's up with that? You called us to this project, then you threw about every single wrench into it that is humanly possible. We almost didn’t get it off the ground to begin with, four weeks in Pr. Clark had to step down, we have had forty percent of our teachers go on maternity leave, one of the teachers moved mid year to North Carolina… I mean what else could go wrong? (Lord, I don’t want to know the answer to that question.)
God: “Suck it up buttercup!”
Melvin: ???
God: Melvin, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Melvin: …
God: It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, successful (in your eyes) or not. What matters is that I am trying to make you into something that reflects me. So enjoy the ride! Don’t get caught up on the fact that time is passing you by. Time is just a created thing anyway. I am eternal. And if you live for eternal things, you will know what it means to be a success. Time won’t pass you by. Rather, you will bear fruit that outlasts time. But if you live for this stuff, (created, material reality) you will find it fades away in an instant.
Melvin: Got it Lord. Thank you!
Something that I have experienced more this past year than ever before is the realization that time is passing me by. At age forty I have probably lived at least half my life. I feel the aches and pains more intently. I am not as energetic as I was in my twenties, my children are growing up so quickly, and several dear family members recently passed away. All of these things have heightened the reality that life is fleeting. This reality has brought to the forefront, all of my hopes and dreams, realized and unrealized, that seem to be forever eluding me in my persistent search for purpose and fulfillment. Do you ever feel like there won’t be enough time to accomplish all your life goals? To experience all the things you wanted to experience and to be everything your potential would allow you to be?
After reflecting on this recently, I talked to God about it. I was pretty clear with him that if he wanted me to do all the things he has called me to do that he would need to stop throwing a wrench into it all the time! This is how a small part of my conversation went…
Melvin: “God, I wanted a family, to be a father, a lot of time would have been saved if you had just let us have kids the normal way. We wasted a lot of time and emotional energy with infertility. Sure we have a beautiful family and I love my kids… but shoot Lord! I am getting older and my kids are mostly still little! I won’t be around to enjoy my grandkids as much as I want to. And then too, Tamela’s cancer… that killed three years of our life and complicated the last decade plus! That’s just not what we thought it would be like when we signed up for this. And goodness Lord, Faith Family Community Church… What were you thinking? Why have you put so many roadblocks in our path? We should be packed every week! And Winter Garden Christian Academy… What's up with that? You called us to this project, then you threw about every single wrench into it that is humanly possible. We almost didn’t get it off the ground to begin with, four weeks in Pr. Clark had to step down, we have had forty percent of our teachers go on maternity leave, one of the teachers moved mid year to North Carolina… I mean what else could go wrong? (Lord, I don’t want to know the answer to that question.)
God: “Suck it up buttercup!”
Melvin: ???
God: Melvin, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Melvin: …
God: It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, successful (in your eyes) or not. What matters is that I am trying to make you into something that reflects me. So enjoy the ride! Don’t get caught up on the fact that time is passing you by. Time is just a created thing anyway. I am eternal. And if you live for eternal things, you will know what it means to be a success. Time won’t pass you by. Rather, you will bear fruit that outlasts time. But if you live for this stuff, (created, material reality) you will find it fades away in an instant.
Melvin: Got it Lord. Thank you!
PRAYER:
Father, help us to live for things that outlast time. Help us to be focused on the things that truly matter. Help us to enjoy the ride. The trials and tribulations and all the blessings that you give us along the way. Keep us focused on what matters to you. And we will give you all the praise in Jesus name! Amen.
Father, help us to live for things that outlast time. Help us to be focused on the things that truly matter. Help us to enjoy the ride. The trials and tribulations and all the blessings that you give us along the way. Keep us focused on what matters to you. And we will give you all the praise in Jesus name! Amen.
Posted in 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting 2025
Posted in suffering, patience, fulfillment, trials, perspective, prayer
Posted in suffering, patience, fulfillment, trials, perspective, prayer
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4 Comments
The reading and your comments this morning meant so much to me Pastor. I havn’t had a very good start to the New Year but I’m resting on his word.
Praying for you Jim. ? Thank you for your comment.
I can completely relate to your comments about feeling that time is passing by, and I appreciate your openness about your candid conversations with God about it. I, too, have had some candid conversations with God in the last few years about what I thought and expected to see in life versus the reality that has occurred.
n
nWhat God has shown me is that His perfection can rise from brokenness so long as we let Him take the wheel of our lives. It’s challenging to relinquish the illusion of control we have, but it is so sweet once we do.
n
n'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
nJust to take Him at His Word
nJust to rest upon His promise
nJust to know, "Thus saith the Lord"
n
nJesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
nHow I've proved Him o'er and o'er
nJesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
nOh, for grace to trust Him more
It really is a wonderful thing to be able to trust in Jesus! Stay encouraged!