One Resolution

Father God, guide my thoughts this morning, and let me be in Your presence. In Jesus name...

Usually, I've got a solid plan for what I'm going to do during my devotional time with You, Lord. But this year I'm kind of going to be walking on faith. My devotional thought this year is that I want to be with You. The content of this time is much less important than the relational aspect.

That said, I'm trying to give You control of the content. Realizing that as I talk to You, I might realize that certain Scriptures would be helpful to ground my thoughts, that prayers for myself or others might be particularly necessary, or perhaps I will be moved to poetry or some other book. I still need to be attentive, and will need to be mindful of Your Spirit. So be near me.

The new year is a typical time for refocusing, and as hip as I am Lord, I'm not immune to the cultural phenomena that is New Year's resolutions. In fact, my resolutions tend to pile up on top of each other. I'd like to write a book of poetry in 2010, I'd like to focus on becoming a better pastor in 2010, I'd like to get back to posting daily at the tennis blog, I'd like to step forth on my faith this year, I'd like to be content with only one of all things...

The other day I listened to a sermon by Shane Hipps, in which he talked about footwashing. I realized that Peter represented the two common reactions to You. First, he did not want his feet washed at all. He denied the intimacy, the service from others, the chance for transformation. He would not be vulnerable and commit. I can be like that at times. However, more often I am the second reaction from Peter.

"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

When I realize that I can be a part of You, that I can take a place in the long story of Your interaction with the world, I want it to be over the top. I want to change my church, my tennis team, my family, my classes, myself... and I dive in all at once. Then I get tired.

Of couple of weeks ago, I heard Herman Edwards speaking on ESPN radio. He was talking about how he would talk to his rookies about the stuff that money can buy since most of them had just become millionaires and could buy a lot of stuff. He would tell them, "Get yourself one of everything. One big house, one beautiful car, one wife/girlfriend, one piece of bling, etc." I think that is really sound advice.

Spiritually for me, I need to have just one goal to focus on. One thing. Or at least one thing at a time. And perhaps that theme of one should flow throughout my life. One helping at dinner time, one time to exercise in my day, one hour to play with my son alone (meaning without the TV in the background), one hour with You every morning.

It's something to think about isn't it? All I know is that I cannot spread my mind across the gamut of all there is to You. You are too immense and cause too much transformation, if I go in all directions at once, I fear I won't go in any one direction well. And it is me to want to do one thing well rather to do all things.

I'll leave the all things to You, considering You do them perfectly.

Continue to meet me in this time Lord, as today I pray in Jesus name, amen.