January - A month in my rear view

 Where did January go? It's all but over. Despite the fact this month comes after my favorite time of year, October - December, fall, football, Thanksgiving, birthdays and Christmas, I love January.

It's when all the noise and busyness eases to the back of the bus and I can focus on writing. But this time, January came with a delightful hustle and bustle.

Hubby's parents came for two and a half weeks, along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and family, plus, dealing with daily issues with our ailing nineteen year old cat.

I love a full house. It makes for a full heart. Though there was a sliver of sadness when we had to say goodbye to Red, El Cato extraordinaire. He just couldn't go on and it was time to end his suffering.

Writing was a bit hit or miss, but I'm on my rewrite now, looking forward to buckling down in February and getting 'er done!

I do love ruminating over a book though. And even if I'm not butt-in-chair, fingers-to-the-keyboard writing, the story is always on my mind, and in my heart. I play with tag lines and high concept pitch lines in order to clarify the story.

How about you? How's your January going? How does the year look for you? I have a sense of expectancy. Excitement. Like a lot of things we've all been waiting for are going to happen. At the very least, have the opportunity to happen.

I pray about the sense in my heart, partnering with God for His good pleasure to be accomplished in my life. You know, it's where a lot of us makes mistakes in our relationship with God. We assume God said it so it's going to happen. Fer sure!

But most of the time God's words to us or "sense of something" is an invitation into a divinely more intimate relationship with Him. It's about partnership. We must agree with Him to bring it about. We can't sit on the side lines, waiting.

Yeah, there are some FOR SURE promises. God will make it happen. But those are more rare than we like to think.

It's like this... The coach says he's going to put you into the game. "Hauck, you're going in some time this year."

"Okay coach, thanks!" 

Hauck shows up to practice every day and... sits on the bench. Just waiting. To be called in. Hauck never prepares for the day Coach says, "You're up. Get in there. Go make me proud."

Hauck hops off the bench, barely, cause she's so out of shape and stiff from sitting. She's mentally foggy and well, she's not going to make the coach proud.

Sometimes I think this his how we approach our walk with the Lord. Waiting. Sitting. Being passive when we could be training for whatever He's called us to do. How do we train?

Be in prayer. Be in the Word. Be in fellowship. Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with our God. Seek. Ask. Knock. Fast. Do the stuff, you know?

He'll give you hope, promises and encouragement a long the way. And when He finally calls you into the game, you're in agreement with Him, in shape, ready to "play."

I'm believing God for good things this year. And it starts right now when I can't see or hear the future. It begins with faith in my heart. Agreement with God about who He says HE is and who I am. It begins on my knees.

What about you? Are you training for what God has for you this year? Let's go! Let'd JUST DO IT!

 

An Invited Into Divine Partnership

When did it happen? Over time? Lack of understanding? The misgivings of powerful men?

But we lost sight of something so dear and critical in our relationship with Jesus. Partnership.

We see ourselves as only, merely, servants. We are servants, yes. Bondslaves, absolutely. But out of love and utter devotion. Completely surrendered. "Not my will, but Your's be done."

But we are called to be partners. We are the Bride of Christ. Not the concubine.

Until the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus taught His disciples. He sent them out on test runs. "Go do what you've seen Me do."

Then came Matthew 26. Jesus is about to endure the greatest ordeal of His or any man's life. He goes to the Garden to pray. Here's what He says to His friends,

"Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed...

Jesus is not teaching or demonstrating, or hanging out with the disciples, He's imploring them to pray with Him. The toughest hour of His life is about to come upon Him and He, the God-Man, needs His friends. He needs support in prayer. This is the only time we see Jesus call us into partnership with Him. "Do this with Me." Not for me. Not to Me. Not because of Me. But with Me.

Then, He leaves them. He goes to another spot in the Garden to pray. Why? Seems odd, doesn't it? "Watch with Me, but I'm going to be over here."

This is such a picture of what was to come. Of what IS our life with Him now. We are here. He is "there." He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. We are still called to partnership in intercession with Him!

When He returns, the disciples are sleeping. We know it well.

"And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Romans 13:11, Ephesians 5:14 have verses that call to the Believer, "Wake up!" We are to be on the alert, watching and waiting.

But we are weak. Prayer is hard. It's a spiritual battle. But it is THE ONE THING where Jesus invites us to partner with Him. "Keep watch with me."

He is coming. Will we be found watching or sleeping?