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Let it Shine!
Today, how will you let your light, your Jesus, shine?
Spending time with Christ changes our world. Our face may glow like Moses. Or maybe your reaction time slows a little – thinking before speaking. Someone may notice something different about you and ask what brings you such confidence and peace.
To read more, head over to Exemplify’s blog.
What’s on your devotional mind through the lens of Moses?
I’ll begin this post with a confession. My devotional life is out of whack right now. I’m a bit off from my normal routine.
Why? I believe the main purpose comes from my false ability to separate my research for a new talk with my quiet time with God. Let me show you how I prepare and I think you’ll get the picture.
DEVOTIONS: There is one main text – The Bible – for my devotional life. I also have other resources that may speak to the text that I’m reading at the moment. Then I have my notebook and pen ready to respond to what I’m written. The journey using ends in writing my prayer to God.
RESEARCH: When I am preparing for an event topic the Bible is my central text. I may have some other books or resources from my life that I use to help prepare. I usually purchase a new notebook and pen and then go to town writing down ideas for good topics and conversation. I often begin and end these sessions by writing in prayers both before I begin and after I finish my work for the day.
See how similar they are? I’m having a hard time separating these 2 very vital and important pieces in my life and preparation. Sometimes it’s not bad because what God is teaching me is what I need to be teaching others. But that’s not the case right now. I feel like I’m putting them both off because I need to set boundaries.
Enough about me – let’s get to Moses. Here was Moses’ devotional life, found in Exodus 33:
Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
I love the sentence that I highlighted above, “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.” I would love to visit Moses, spend some time with him for just one day to see how he did it. He needed direct contact from God on how to lead, where to go, what to say. This whole leader of the Israelites was definitely not on his own. He needed time with God to be refreshed, restored and renewed. But he also needed specific details on how to handle the situation of the day.
Luckily for Moses, he didn’t have the option like I do, just forget about the whole thing. Procrastinate! Rebel! Not on his terms of vocabulary. But, maybe what the Lord is showing me, is that HE knows what I need. Allow my mind to quiet, come to Him in humble reverence and allow Him to lead the way.
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD
And maybe when I get up to speak on behalf of the Lord, my face will shine with His glory and not my own.
I’m really looking forward to hearing what you have to say about these verses. Please play along and fill out a comment. Or, you can blog about it then leave us to your permalink in the comments. Facebook friends could use the note section and link us to your page. Also, if you have suggestions for a topic that you’d like to discuss, please let us know! Thank you!
The Kettle Club
If you haven’t seen the new online magazine called Exemplify ~ please check it out! So far they have published 2 issues. The second includes an article I wrote called God of Creation, God of Comfort.
Exemplify is hosting a community event today called The Kettle Club.
Click on the button for the full story.
Here is how The Kettle Club works:
• Women who want to make the commitment to spend 5-10 minutes (or more!) of time in the Word before blogging each day, will join up.
• Each month, we will post little devotional questions and encouragement to help hold one another accountable.
• The last week of the month we will link up and share what we are learning in our private, devotion time.
Below, you’ll find the February Wrap Up Questions For Discussion that I decided to use.
• Are you following along with a specific devotional? If so, tell us a little about the devotional. Do you recommend it for your fellow Kettle Club ladies?
I really like workbook style devotionals. The workbook format gives you space to write in, like a journal. Plus instead of a lot of commentary, it allows you to read from the Source then apply to your own life.
There are 2 devotionals that I’m working from right now and would definitely recommend them to all:
~Debbie Alsdorf’s He is My Freedom I enjoy Debbie’s writing style. Her friendly tone brought new insights on a familiar passage in Isaiah 9:6.
~Catherine Martin’s Trusting in the Names of God I loved the author’s teaching on “I AM”. It’s great to think of our living God’s name as a verb, not a noun.
• Did you find certain distractions kept popping up as you would sit down to meditate on God’s Word? How did you overcome them?
My distractions are numerous – as I’m sure yours are too! Mainly, sleepiness! Excessive sleepiness is a sign that my depression is off kilter… and it seems like I’ve been off a lot lately. So, without my morning routine, I lose sight on my first focus of quiet time. Secondly, EMAIL! For whatever reason, I LOVE checking email. It’s often the first thing I go to. But, if I “reward” myself with email after my devotions, I’m generally safe!
• What are some prayer time/Word focused goals you had for the month of February? What are your goals for the month of March? (For example, are you memorizing Scripture or committing to pray about a specific thing?)
I did begin this year with a focus of memorizing scripture and got away from that during the month of February. When God’s Word is fresh on your mind, He seems to bring situations for you to use it. So, I would like to refocus and memorize at least 2 passages for the month of March.
• How can you fellow Kettle Club members pray for you this month?
I am always in desparate prayer for my health. I also have a retreat that I am leading in April which I am writing new material for. My prayer request is that God would bring to mind exactly what the hearts of the attendees need to hear, and that I can be an instrument not a spotlight.
