Real Life - A Weekly Blog Devotional

From God’s Word:

Click and Read Matthew 6:19-21

Key Verse:

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. -Matthew 6:20 (NIV)

Without Googling his name, can you tell me who Millard Fillmore is?

A few history buffs will be able to tell me, but most of us won’t have a clue.

Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States of America. You would think we would know the name of someone who held such a prestigious office, right? If I don’t even know the name of someone who was president, who will ever remember me when I’m gone? Does this life even matter?

It is a sad fact that most of us will be completely forgotten within two, maybe three, generations after we pass away. Here today, gone tomorrow. No matter how much we gain or accomplish, no matter how noble the causes we fight for, no matter how powerful the positions we hold, our lives truly are just a vapor.

Solomon saw it. When he looked at the works of mankind, he said, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV).

This has been a reoccurring theme for me this week. I’ve been reminded so much in sermons and my own study time, that time is short. So what am I doing with it? With the time I have been given, is it possible to do something meaningful? Can I devote myself to something more than chasing after wind?

I’ve been looking at my life and doing some self-inventory. I don’t have the answers yet, but I’ve been going through my day today asking:

• What in my life has eternal value?
• In what ways am I investing in eternity?
• What activities am I wasting my time on?

It’s been good just to ask the questions. If this is all there is, then life is utterly meaningless. I should just go have fun, eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow I die. But since this is not all there is, I want to build a life that is meaningful and purposeful.

Our pastor taught us this weekend that the key to a purposeful life is doing life as if you are doing it unto God. Whatever you do, do it unto Him. I’m not famous or powerful. I am a mom. I’m a wife. I’m a homemaker. Not very exciting!

Cleaning my toilets, changing the diapers, serving my family, all of these appear meaningless, but they have the potential of being more eternally significant than being President of the United States if done with the right heart. If I do my life, the things I’ve been called to do, and do them as if I was doing them for God and for His glory, that work will last. And it will bring me joy.

Personal Application:

Do your own self-inventory this week:

• Can you identify ways you are chasing after wind and wasting time?
• How are you investing in eternity?
• If you were to die tonight, is your life in order? What would you be able to take with you?
• Are you ignoring eternity or building up treasure there?
• How can you do your own life as if unto God? What meaningless activities can become eternally significant just by changing your heart and attitude about them?

Dear Lord,

Thank you that this life is not it. Give me an eternal perspective and help me to build my life in a way that will have eternal significance. Help me to set aside the things that are worthless and to strive for the things you value. Show me how to do my everyday life for you.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

More of God’s Word:

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. - Colossians 3:1-2 (The Message)

From God’s Word:

Click and Read Joshua 24:14-27

Key Verse:

“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” Joshua 24:23 (NIV)

“Jesus, what in my life do I love more than You?”

I attended a conference this summer where author Lysa TerKeurst was the opening speaker. She told the story about asking Jesus that question and the impact His answer had on her life. He extended to her an invitation for what she titled a “personal revival” He pointed out a sugar addiction that took a lot of sacrifice and self-discipline to give up. She didn’t do it out of a heart of legalism, but out of love for Jesus, not wanting anything to have higher priority than Him.

Listening to her story, I initially responded with Love, more than Jesus? Why nothing, of course. He’s number One.

To which a still, small, whispering voice asked me, Am I, Becky?

Of course you are, Lord!

What about your Internet? If I asked would you turn off your Internet?

Oh, no, Lord, I couldn’t do that. I use my Internet to serve You. The time I spend on their is for good and useful things. I need it for writing my books, connecting with family and friends, and building my ministry platform. It’s not an idol. I don’t love it more than you.

Deep inside, I knew it wasn’t true. My laptop sits on my breakfast bar in the kitchen. It is accessible to me all day long. I catch every email, every blog comment, every Facebook status, and make sure the world knows what I’m doing with a play-by-play on Twitter.

Whenever my kids interrupted me this summer, I was so frustrated! I don’t know how many times I said, “You need to play upstairs or outside and quit interrupting me. I’m doing important work on my computer right now.” I was aware that my home was messier than I like it, that my kids were often talking to me through a computer screen, and that my time with the Lord was often used up by Internet activities.

I was right. I do good things on the Internet. But I was also wrong. It had become an idol in my life. I loved the endless wealth of information, the connection with like minded people, and the fun of creating blog posts on my personal blog. It was stealing my time, my focus, and distracting my heart. Earlier this week, I finally faced the truth and I felt so busted. I cried and continued to justify and defend my actions, but I finally had to confess the truth and repent of what that cyber connection had become in my life.

I carried the laptop upstairs, shut it down, and made a new guideline for myself. Computer time is reserved to times when my family doesn’t need me. My children will no longer speak to me through a laptop screen and Jesus will resume His proper position of supremacy in my life.

Last week I wrote about how God usually goes for a heart condition problem instead of a behavior problem. In this case, He did highlight a behavior, but it was because it was a symptom of a heart issue. I’m not saying Internet is bad. It was me loving it more than Jesus that was bad.

Personal Application:

You may not be able to relate to Lysa’s problem with sugar, or my problem with spending too much time in cyberspace, but I have a hunch there may be something else you could say has become an idol in your own life.

Join us in asking this question: Jesus, what in my life do I love more than you?
When He reveals the answer, ask Him for the strength to put Him number one again. Life works when He is on the throne. Messes occur when we run after worthless idols.

Do not become so focused on the behavior, that you glorify yourself as you remove it from your life. Remember, this is about getting your heart to the place where He is number one. It is not about you at all.

Dear Lord, Please reveal to me anything that has become an idol in my life. Give me the character to acknowledge it and the strength to remove it so you are first in my heart. Only You are worthy of that position. I am weak and need Your help. Make my heart and my priorities right before You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen

More of God’s Word:

1. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” - Exodus 20:2-3 (ESV)

2. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ -Mark 12:30 (NIV)

Love a less connected
: )

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16

I’ve been distracted this week by the silliest thing. It’s a computer game called Scramble. Letters are placed in a 5×5 grid, and you have three minutes to find as many words inside the grid as possible. It’s a part of the Facebook web page, so many of my friends have been playing the game as well. I can see their scores on the side of my computer screen, and each time I beat one of their scores, my pictures moves up the ladder.

I’m currently in second place behind my friend, Rachel, who has 220 points compared to my 162 points. Man has it brought out the competitive nature in me! Every free moment this week, I’ve been hunched over my computer typing away, desperately trying to beat Rachel’s score. I knew I was in trouble when I closed my eyes to go to bed, and all I could see was the Scramble board.

It hit me how bad this addiction had become when my five-year-old daughter walked by me sitting at the kitchen table, looked at my laptop screen with a critical eye and said, “Oh good, you aren’t playing that STUPID game!” Ouch!

If I died tonight, my tombstone could read, “Here lies Becky. She played Scramble. Over and over and over again.” : )

Seriously, is that the legacy I want to leave? There is nothing wrong with a little entertainment now and then, but there is something wrong with placing such high priority on such a trivial thing. I’m coming to the end of my week feeling so far away from God, so spiritually blah, and so disconnected. And no wonder! Instead of quiet times this week, I played Scramble. “God, I’ll be right there. I know you want to spend some time with me. Just one more round!”

How easily my attention can be shifted away from what matters. I’m so thankful for a new week, with a fresh start, and an opportunity to prioritize my life wisely.

Personal Application:

Who or what has had your focus this week?

How easily little distractions can move in, shifting our focus, and sending our hearts and minds on spiritual detours. If something has taken your eyes off of Jesus this week, confess it now, and ask Him to help you prioritize your life according to His priorities for you.

Father,
It is so easy to become distracted and dulled by the things of this world. So many things compete for my attention, taking my eyes off of those that have eternal value. Please reveal to me where my priorities and thoughts have shifted off course. I want to be in the center of your will. Help me to choose wisely how to spend my time and my mental energy so I can be effective for your Kingdom and able to hear your still, small voice.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:

1. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. -Colossians 3:2 (NIV)
2. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. -Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

Love,