Monday, January 31, 2011

Genesis 1:3

Genesis 1:3
The God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Sometimes I have a problem or I am in some uncomfortable situation and I think about asking God for help. Then I think that this is something that I'm really stuck in and there is no conceivable way that God could help me with it so I figure why bother. Oh how wrong I am. If God can simply say, Let there be light,” and there is light I'm sure God is powerful enough to help me with my problem. Although praying to God is not simply going to make my problem disappear with out any help from me, it is never too powerful or too difficult for God.

Dear Lord, help me to always be amazed by the vastness of your power and glory.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

1 Corinthians 12:12-13


1 Corinthians 12: 12-13
As a body is one through it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, through many, are one body, so also Christ.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jew of Greeks, slaves of free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

We live in a competitive world.  We are constantly making an effort to be better then someone others in one way or another.  It is hard not to get caught up in the competition that surrounds us.  This competition could be over who has the best car, who has the biggest house, or who makes the most money.  But it could also be over more important things, who does the most good deeds, who prays the most, or who helps the most people, but either way we are caught up in a competition.  These verses tell us that we are all baptized into one body.  We are all on the same team.  We are competing with our own team.  This is ridiculous.  Think about how much good we could do if we were to truly work together.
Think about all the medical breakthroughs we could have if medical researchers shared their information instead of keeping it secret until they are able to publish it.
This is one major example of where competition and the idea that your profits are more important then the profits of the group act to prevent good from being done but there are also countless other examples of times when we put our own success over the success of the group.  We need to remember that we are all here to serve the Lord in our own way but all together as one body.

Dear Lord, help me to separate myself from the competition that surrounds me.  Help me to put your will above my will and my personal success.  Help me to remember that you created us as one body and that is how we should live our lives.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Psalm 46:2-4


Psalm 46:2-4
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Thus, we do not fear, though earth be shaken
And mountains quake to the depths of the sea,
though its waters rage and foam
and mountains totter at its surging.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
Our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
                                 
I find this an amazing comfort knowing that whatever happens God will always be there for me.  No matter how awful a situation I am in or no matter how helpless I feel I know I am not alone and I will always have God to get me through it.  With this realization there is no situation that is so daunting that I can’t get through it.
In this Psalm we are reminded that God is our refuge and our strength.  God will help us get through hard times and will give us a shelter we may need during those times.  How often do we find ourselves in hard times and we feel alone and helpless?  We are either so focused on feeling sorry for ourselves or so focused on finding a solution that we forget that we are in fact not alone but we have our Lord ever by our side.  How much easier would it be during these hard times if we were to turn to God for comfort and guidance?  We all need that thing in our live that never changes and is always unfailing and God is just that thing.  So next time you are in a situation that seems hopeless remember that if writer of this Psalm does not fear raging waters and the earth being shaken then we have nothing to fear with our Lord as our stronghold and our strength and our everlasting comfort.  This is something that we can count on.

Dear Lord, help me to remember that you will always be there for me as my strength and my refuge and that I have nothing to fear when I am with you.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Romans 8:18

Romans 8:18
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

Sometimes it can be discouraging and disturbing to see all of the suffering that surrounds us.  Sometimes it feels like we are always surrounded by people who are suffering either physically, mentally or spiritually and it can seem hopeless.  And it would be hopeless if we did not have the hope of heaven.  If all we had was the suffering that surrounds us life might be a little depressing but we have so much more.  We have the glory of heaven to look forward to.  Not only will the glory of heaven match the suffering that we see on earth but it will be so much more that next to the glory to come the suffering of today will be nothing.  So when we are suffering or we see people suffering we can remember that this is not it.  We have the glory of heaven waiting for us.  And when we see glory and beauty here on earth we can remember that the glory of heaven will be so much more.  This is anything but hopeless.

Dear Lord, comfort all those who are suffering and give them hope of the glory that will be revealed to them.   

Monday, January 17, 2011

1 Corinthians 10:31

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

This simple verse can be used to give meaning to a life that may otherwise seem mundane or useless.  Exactly what we do with our day-to-day lives is not as important as if we do it for the glory of God.  If we are truly living for our Lord everything that we do should be for him.  This does not mean that we must completely fill our day with things such as the rosary, mass, adoration, reading the bible or serving the poor.  We can make every little thing that we do in our daily life into a prayer to our God if we do it with love and as a service to our Lord.  No matter how simple or ordinary our actions may seem they can be truly extraordinary if they are done for the glory of God.
This reminds me of a quote from Mother Teresa "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."  This quote gives me the realization that even if I don’t feel like I am doing ‘great things’, I can still be doing what am I with ‘great love'.  Even the simplest action can be great if it is done for our Lord with great love.  In order to live a life completely devoted to God everything we do needs to be done with the intention to serve our Lord.  A life lived for the glory of God is anything but mundane or useless.

Dear Lord, help me to give you glory in all my actions.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Luke 1:38


Luke 1:38
Mary said, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

This is quite a statement that Mary makes.  She has just been told by the angel Gabriel that not only will she have a son but he will be the son of God.  Anyone else would have held back and had their doubts but not her.  Not only does she say yes but she completely gives herself to the Lord.  She doesn’t just say, “Ok just this once I will follow along”, or “I’ll do just this for you but nothing more.” She says “I am your servant, I am yours.”  She completely turns herself over to the Lord.  She has such faith that she is able to welcome anything that the Lord has planned for her.  She knows that whatever the Lord has planned for her is worth saying yes to.
Mary has the faith to completely give her life over to the Lord with out knowing exactly what he has in store for her.  I feel that this is something that we should be striving to do in our own lives.  Wouldn’t it be great if we had the faith to completely give ourselves to the Lord and say “I don’t know exactly what you have planned for me or exactly what I should be doing but I know that your plan for me is better than any plan that I could make myself so I am putting my life in your hands.  I am your servant.”

Dear Lord, give me the strength and the faith to completely give my life to you.