Just Stay in the Game

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 8-10. 

Opening Thought: Reading these words struck a chord today. Nick speaks of his parents’ experience when they encountered their newly born child and discovered that he was missing “a few bits and pieces”, as Nick describes his mother saying. I can’t imagine the shock and fear that would have run through their entire beings: body, soul, spirit, mind – the works. When Sarah (my wife) was taken into emergency c-section to bring our son Ty into the world, and I discovered that his health way not perfect, I went cold. I did not expect that but looking back I think it was my entire being not knowing where to go. I don’t think my heart had a single beat until I was at Sick Kids in Toronto, and suddenly I was surrounded by parents experiencing the same thing. Que heart beats…

The devotional begins with: 
Psalm 86:1-5

Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am Holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Second Thought: Nick’s reflection gave praise to his parents for moving beyond their shock and fear and aligning themselves with God, trusting in His plan for their son. As a result, Nick was treated as a normal kid (if there is such a thing), offered guidance, support and even discipline. I suspect by the way Nick speaks that his parents had a faith to begin with. I do not think I ever truly understood how valuable faith was until I truly needed it. When I entered that cold state of being, as I said I did not find my heart really beating until I was at Sick Kids. Being around other parents and children struggling in their own way, I remembered the reality of the world. Sometimes struggles happen but I had a choice, I could let them bog me down or I could do what my faith called me to do. So, I tried to talk to the other families, parents and even some of the nurses about their burdens. The Psalm reading for this devotion points to the author calling upon God, asking him to bow down His ear, implying a grandeur condescending to someone lower. Like a parent bowing down to hear their child better. When I was in that hospital, I saw so many parents without faith, feeling there was no one to ask to listen, no Father in heaven to have come down to greet them. I did my best to talk to them, offer an ear. Though the interesting thing I noticed, the parents that took me up on the offer to talk and share were the ones I overheard already hosting spiritual practices. It was as if their faith in the ear of God opened them up to welcoming ear of a neighbor. 

Continual Work: "Life may be kicking you around…” Sometimes it truly feels that way. Trusting in God’s plan can be difficult, but I truly believe that it is a very important task. But the challenge is, what do you do when your waiting for God’s plan to unfold? Well, as Nick’s parents did, you press on, live a life as close to what Jesus is calling us to live, and you wait and see. As much as being kicked around sucks, sulking and letting it defeat you is worse.

What Rev. Jacob is Working On: I want to aim to keep my eyes open to those who are feeling kicked around. Maybe there is something I can do, or say, maybe offer a prayer or a listen ear. Maybe, that will be just what they need to help them grow. Likewise, I need to remember to call upon the Lord, my friends and community-in-faith to be that ear for my struggles. I am not in this alone, nor should anyone else be.

Scripture time: Psalm 86

I looked at the whole of Psalm 86, the reading is singing the love the author has for God. Having a genuine love for God, I think many people, including myself struggles to find this. How can you understand a love for a being of love, most people can even sort out feels of love for their families and significant others? Yet, somehow there is a love for God we feel. It is like the love a child has for a parent, the child doesn’t understand the love, but that know it and feel it - and often take it for granted. In my struggles I turn to God’s love: often in the form of mercy and goodness. I truly do, but also, I turn to the wonder of God as well. There is a poem by Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) the last line of his poem Trees, says “But only God can make a tree.” Us humans, we can do a lot of cool things. We have built great cities, created advancements in technology and medicines, have endless libraries of great literature; but none of what we have ever made or created will ever match the beauty of a tree, or a flower, the way a bird flies and sings. Our efforts pale in comparison to God’s. When I turn to God for support, I am not just looking to God’s mercy and goodness, but that wonderment, of a Being so great that He could, without outside influence, form something as elegant and life giving as a tree. I hope the next time I struggle; God will whisper into my ear and remind me to look at the trees. There is wonderment coming!

Prayer Time: Our Father in Heaven, be the light in the darkness, the hope in the time of desolation, be the renewal in moments of sickness and death. Remind the spirit within us, that we are not alone, that we live in a wonderment of Your creation. That we do not need to be alone, and that we can turn to You and Your endless wisdom. When I am most distorted by the trials of life, I turn to the Lord’s Prayer like clockwork. Thank you for that gift of steadfast connection with your will. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever, 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 the full poem by Joyce Kilmer and a Link to find out more about him.

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/joyce-kilmer