Free from Limitation
This blog is designed to give people an inner look at a devotional life. Taking time each day to spend time with the Lord. The hope is if you travel on this journey with Rev. Jacob Shaw, you may be more inclined to spend time with the Lord as well. I encourage the use of a devotional, a scripture reading and prayer, then finally a song, hymn or selection of poetry to tie it all together.
Today's devotional is taken from: Vujicic, Nick. Limitless Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press, 2013. pp 5-7.
Opening Thought: I had read this devotional before, but more as a light reading rather than something to sit, reflect and pray on. As I was approaching this idea of sharing my morning devotional time in a public sphere I decided on this book to begin with as I enjoy the sharp truth of Nick Vujicic's ministry. He is disabled but totally enabled, which for someone who has an unseen disability with chronic pain issues, I know only a fraction of the reality Nick has been challenged with, but even from that fraction, I give Nick the utmost respect. Therefore, I chose this to begin with to hope it deepens my spiritual frameworks with the Gospel message, the Bible and my faith life.
The devotional begins with:
Psalm 73:21-25, [MSG]
When I was beleaguered and bitter,
totally consumed by envy,
I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox
in your very presence.
I'm still in your presence,
but you've taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me,
and then you bless me.
You're all I want in heaven!
You're all I want on earth!
Second Thought: In Nick's reflection, we see him playing with two realities, the human and the divine. As humans we are imperfect, but we can be happily imperfect, because we can by God's will be perfectly us. Our humanity encounters the divine reality of God. God calls each of us to be the best us we can be. This is not always the easiest thing but it is noble and if we allow it, a happy journey. I think he encapsulates this passage well when he says, and I paraphrase, I am God's creation, whom which has room for improvement. By being a product of God was have a capacity to be perfectly us, used by God for the very purpose we have been put on this earth.
The challenge is out fallen mind and heart, we can become ignorant to this reality, to the point where we behave like a dumb ox; angry and consumed by out fallen nature. Christ, in his calling to restore, allows for us to move past these limitation to become limitless, hence the room for improvement.
This means that our lives are a gift, no matter the circumstances, disabled or not, we are all enabled by God and called to be the best versions of ourselves by God's will and strength becoming our own.
Continual Work: "You have a choice." can be found at the beginning of the last paragraph of this devotional. We can choose to continue as that dumb ox, or accept the reality that God calls us forward, God is trying to take our hands and lead us home, and as a result we can choose to be happy despite the challenges we are facing, the hurdles and the pains. Choose to be happy in the Lord.
What Rev. Jacob is Working On: Life in the last while has become more complicated. Within the last two years I have gone from the transient student life to having a career, household, child, and a ministry calling. Not to mention the COVID-19 challenges and my child having medical issues in his early life. It would be very easy to let the stress and anxieties take away my happiness. But when I stop to pray to the Lord, I remember, that there is no better dream than serving Lord, Family and Community.
I will continue to work on taking time to recognize and remember the happiness I can find in my life, my family, wife, child, pets, friendships, career, ministry, faith life, in myself, and in the face of the stranger. None of it needs to be perfect for me to love it, just as God's love is granted to what is not perfect, by the grace and love of the cross.
Scripture time: Psalm 73
I looked at the whole of Psalm 73, reading it I feel the authors struggle. He longs to understand his suffering in the light of the eternal truth and love of God. His struggle is intensified when he sees very sinful people around him prospering. Lately in my prayer and personal times of reflection, I have been heavily chewing on the presence of the criminals along side Jesus at the cross. One criminal sneers at Jesus while the other recognizes Jesus, even if just in a minute way, and longs to be remembered. I see the Psalmist struggling with this same dichotomy.
That latter criminal, the one longing to be remembered is in his last moments dutifully asking the lord to be remembered; finally in his life welcoming the invitation of the Lord to hold God's hand and be led. The acceptance of the invitation, does not mean we are purchasing our salvation, it rather means we are opening ourselves up to it. We are welcoming the exchange with our willingness to be led by God. By being led by God we hope to be remembered, and in God's promise I believe we will be.
The more we do this in life, the more we align ourselves with God and we create more memories worthy of being remembered, as a celebration for the grace that God offers. Though as we see in the criminal longing to be remembered, it isn't about the quantity, rather the mere presence of a willingness to be remembered, a hope to walk with God, an alignment with the will of God even if we don't fully understand it. I believe God at minimum will use an iota of longing in the heart of the believer to remember us, and the rest by God's grace.
Prayer Time: God who Remembers, I too often act and feel as a dumb ox, thrashing and crashing. But in a humble heart, transformed by your goodness, I can become as a little child, reaching and searching for their mother's hand to steady and guide. Lead me this day to your clarity, to your awakening, to your growth and education. Take me from that dumb ox and yoke me to an ox of righteousness, bound me to your will and enlighten me with the teachings and life of Christ, which I will continue to parse through by your holy scriptures, by your presence in my life via the Holy Spirit and by your eternal love. By your son's name, Amen.
Closing Words: I hope you enjoyed and were lifted by this devotional time, it is truly important to take time for God each day. By doing so, you welcome God into your life, and in turn you will be able to better see the world through the eyes of God, rather than God through the world's eyes.
Artistic Close: Below is a selection of lyrics for Nick Vujicic's song Something More, great song and very inspiring. Take a listen if you have time.
"I know there is something more, I don't wanna die, I don't want to waste another day or night, I know there is something more, then what we're living for, I see it in the stars, I feel it on the shore, I know there is something more!"
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