Good Intentions vs. Commitment

This season of Lent that just ended reminds me how important commitment is.  You see, I intended to write a bit each day of Lent in my blog, but I didn't actually make a commitment to do that.  Without the commitment and stick-to-it-ive-ness commitment brings, I only jotted a couple of daily notes in my blog.  My commitment was to read the book I wrote daily and I believe there was only one time I had to "catch up on" a day that I missed.  Commitment was the key. I knew I had about 50 people reading along with me, and I wanted to be faithful to the commitment, just as they were.  

What a reminder for our lives.  I am certain we all have good intentions that just never get followed through with.  It is such a human trait.  I don't feel overwhelming guilt for not writing in my blog this Lent, though there is just a twinge of that.  The key would have been committing to it.  I didn't.  

So - what am I committed to?  

Number one is faithfulness to God.  Basic to that is my commitment to God's Word as the written authority over my life. My goal is that my relationship with God will be reflected in my relationships with others.  Only God will know if I succeed in mirroring Him. One day I will stand before Him, and His grace to me will cover the times I didn't succeed. 

Two is faithfulness to and unconditional love for my immediate family including the very dear "chosen people" they bring to the family through marriage.  

Three is to extended family, people I "adopt" as family, and to my dearest friends. 

Beyond that I am committed to trying to be kind in every circumstance.  Kindness is not to be confused with nice.  Sometimes kindness means being forthright and honest even when it isn't welcomed.     

The Covid-19 Pandemic has been very strange in its isolation.  One of my most salient commitments prior to the Pandemic was the Biblical mandate:  Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, even so much the more as you see The Day approaching.  (Not sure that is the exact word-for-word quote so I am not putting it in quotes.) I haven't been in church since early March  2000. I quarantined on March 8. But my desire to be in worship corporately is not forsaken.  I "go to church" online, and while it is wonderful to have that opportunity, it does not take the place of congregational worship and connection with others who are in worship. Worshipping together is powerful. It gives me pause to think about how things have changed.  

It is good for us to think about what our true commitments are and actions speak louder than words.  Food for thought!  

THE EIGHTH DAY OF LENT 2021

Just this far in makes me realize how much a commitment it really is when one obligates themself to write every single day.  I supposed I would - but without that commitment, it is really easy not to follow through with my good intentions. 

I am being joined by 45 people who have let me know they are committed to the daily journey of reading through LEAD ME TO THE CROSS at least through Resurrection/ Easter.  I am hoping most of them will continue on past Lent, but for now the first leg of the journey is a satisfactory goal.  It warms my heart to have so many pilgrims traveling with me, as it were.   

It's not to late to join us!  Matthew provides an excellent foundation for our intentional journey to the cross - and beyond.  

Third Day of Lent - LEAD ME TO THE CROSS!

 It's Friday!  I am thrilled that over 30 friends, family and a few ladies who are friends of my daughters are joining me on the journey this year.  Daily Discipline.  Daily read of a Bible passage and the entries in the Devotional writings.  Daily immersing ourselves in an intentional journey of "being disciples."  If you haven't committed to do this with us - it's not too late!  And may God richly bless those who read and digest what God speaks to them over this 2021 period of Lent.  

We got our second Covid-19 vaccines this afternoon.  My arm hurts.  Again.  That's okay.  It just tells me it was the real deal and will make a difference.  That's what I want - to BE the real deal and make a difference.  I cannot change the whole world, but I can make a difference in mine!   

Ash Wednesday 2021

My book was printed last July and I sent out almost all of my 250 copies to friends and family, and then finally got it downloaded to Amazon as an eBook.  Now it is time to dive in.  

Matthew 1 is the chapter for today.  My entry in the book for today is long, but that is understandable because the genealogy is long, and there are so many interesting people in it. 

3 defined sections. 14 generations in each section. Amazing that God planned it all out so precisely.  And planned so carefully who would be represented in the half of the DNA Jesus inherited from his mother. He would have had only 23 of her chromosomes, and the other 23 that would normally be the father's were he born solely of man would be missing.  Fully God and fully human.  A mystery beyond comprehension.  

FAT TUESDAY - DIVING INTO LENT

In 2010 I wrote daily throughout Lent in this blog.  In 2018 when I was undergoing my 28 days of radiation treatment I gathered the entries into a document that I could share easily with a few friends and family members, and in 2020 I edited it, wrote additional entries for after Easter (leading to Ascension, Pentecost, and beyond), and created a book titled LEAD ME TO THE CROSS.  I have mailed hard copies to most of my family and closest friends, and as of December 2020 it is also available on Amazon as a Kindle eBook.  If you look for LEAD ME TO THE CROSS by Lola Rice Cain you will find it, just in case you see this and want to go on the journey with me this year. 

Today's reading is titled FAT TUESDAY.  Tomorrow we dive in.  When I first wrote the blog I learned what a special spiritual adventure it is to be intentional about reading every day as a discipline leading us to Resurrection.  We need that journey more than ever this year.  

Lead me to the cross....

2 Peter 1

 My chapter for today is the first chapter of Second Peter.  What an uplifting, encouraging chapter!  It was just exactly what I needed for today!  I hope it will touch others' hearts as well.  This is just part of the chapter:

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

HEBREWS 12

 HEBREWS 12:1-3

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  

Hebrews 12 is my reading for today.  It is an amazing chapter.  My spirit is lifted just reading through it.  What a blessing in such turbulent times.  Run the race with perseverance.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  Do not grow weary and lost heart.  These are words that reach us where we live, where the rubber meets the road.  

I often heard the admonition "Don't sweat the small stuff" when I was younger, with the immediate follow-up of "It's all small stuff."  Compared to eternity, that is true.  And, if we allow Him to be, God walks with us through it all.  For that, I am eternally grateful!