Affection

2 April: Tuesday Refocus

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"The first and most basic thing we can and must do is to keep God before our minds... this is the fundamental secret of caring for our souls. Our part in this practicing the presence of God is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to Him." - Dallas Willard

Missionary Frank Laubach challenged himself by intentionally dedicating hours of every day, minutes of every hour, even seconds of every minute to turn his thoughts toward the Lord. The Psalmist said: ‘I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken (Psalm 16:8).” The prophet Isaiah said: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock (Isaiah 26:3-4).”

How might our souls be shaped when our minds are given to meditate on the person and work of Christ? How might we encounter the world, others, and ourselves differently if our attention is fixed on the Lord?

Spirit, may you lift our eyes to behold Jesus in the small and significant moments of this day and every day. In Christ’s name, amen.

Amen,

AB

6 February: Tuesday Refocus

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“The first act of love is always the giving of attention.’ - Dallas Willard

The attention and affection of God cannot be splintered, divided, or diluted. And although we are poor and needy, the Lord takes thought for us (Psalm 40:17). Because his eyes saw the unformed substance of our being and every one of our days (Psalm 139:16).

May this day be filled with turning our attention and affection toward the One whose attention and affection are already fixed upon His people.

Father, we thank you for your love. Jesus, we thank you for displaying that love through the cross. Spirit, remind us of what is true when we are prone to forget. Amen.

Loved,

AB

Advent Preparation

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We are only a few weeks away from the Advent season. One of the elements that has helped mark out this time as special for me in the last few years has been writing an Advent devotional. Collecting these quotes, prayers, Scripture, and writings helps set my attention and affection on the coming of Christ during a particularly busy season in the life of the Church.

If you are looking for something for you, your church, or your team, here are links to the last several years. I’ll also be posting a new Advent devotional in the weeks ahead.

If you’re looking for some practical resources for worship leaders, worship teams, or church here are some posts from previous years:

November 2: Tuesday Refocus

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“By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn.  By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world, makes us long for heaven.” - J.C. Ryle

Pain can make us retreat.  Or perhaps it can feel as though pain makes God retreat.  And yet, how can that be true when our Savior is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (Is 53:3)?

God has never been absent in our affliction - in fact, He is so near to our affliction that He took it upon Himself - ‘But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed (Is 53:5).’

We may be tempted to believe that doing the right things means we will have an easy life - that things will go well, that God is somehow indebted to provide us with peace for not causing a raucous.  There are many examples throughout Scripture that obedience does not equal ease.  Christ was perfectly obedient to God the Father, and would any confuse His for an easy life?

The world, our flesh, and the devil beckon us toward the wide gate and the easy way.  This is a road easy, well-worn, and leading to destruction (Matt 7:13).  But Christ invites us to walk His road: ‘For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.’ (Matt 7:14)

Lord, may we walk Your road filled with your strength, close to Your heart, undivided in heart, hungry for Your truth, and in eager expectation of Your return.  Amen.

Walking,

AB

August 31: Tuesday Refocus

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“Thy death is my life, Thy resurrection my peace, Thy ascension my hope, Thy prayers my comfort.” - The Valley of Vision

The death of Christ is life for us.  This reality is evidence of an upside-down Kingdom.  A Kingdom ruled by One who came not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45).  One who emptied Himself and became obedient to the point of death (Phil 2:5-9).  It is in His death that we live - dying daily to self to truly find Life (Gal 2:20, Matt 10:39).

Because death never has the final word - not in an upside-down Kingdom, not ever.  There is peace in knowing though the Prince of Peace died, He has been raised, and gives peace not like the world - but gives the Peace of His presence with His people (Is 9:6, Jn 14:27, 1 Thess 4:14, Matt 28:20).

Not only did He die, not only was He raised, He has ascended to the right hand of the Father (Rom 8:34, Jn 20:17).  He completed His work, accepted by God, and we can rest knowing that His righteousness is now ours (Phil 3:9, Col 3:1, Heb 10:12).  Our Hope is secure anchoring our souls in heaven (Heb 6:19).

And there our Anchor rests - making intercession on our behalf before the Father (Heb 7:25).  Our Savior and King, the One who in a glorified body now stands, bearing eternal scars, having been tempted and tried in every way like we have been and will be, and yet has been without sin (Heb 4:14-16).  He prays for us.

Jesus, there is no life, no peace, no hope, and no comfort more secure and significant than what is ours in and through You.  We are grateful people, may we live like we know these things are true.  In Your name, amen.

Believing,

AB