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Rita Reid

Stop this Crazy Thing!

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“Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, …”

Matthew 24:4, NLT

State_Fair_RideMy daughter wanted me to go on a ride with her at the state fair. “I don’t know about that, girlie”, I said. “Those kinds of rides make Mommy’s head feel weird, maybe you should ask daddy”. “Come on Mommy, pleeeeease, just go once and I won’t ask you anymore!”

Hubby chimes in, “You can do it. Go on the ride with her. How bad can it be?” But it wasn’t any ol’ ride; it was a twisting, spinning, and ridiculously fast ride—just the kind my body doesn’t handle well anymore. (Did daughter know that going in, hmm?)  I rationalized the thing. “Maybe this time will be different and I won’t feel lightheaded and nauseous when it’s over. I’m doing it for my girl. I want her to have a good time today so, I’m going to bite the bullet and do it for her!”

It was a standup ride that required you to be buckled with your back to the wall so you’re facing the middle; much like a salad once you’ve spun it and it’s all sticking to the inside wall of the bowl. There was only one other parent on the thing and that should have been my hint to cut and run! I pulled my belt extra tight, just in case. The ride began to spin and I glanced left ever so briefly to look at my daughter’s happy little face, full of joy and anticipation. My hands were so tight around the handlebars that you’d think they were super glued on! The ride spun and twisted and bumped my sore knees up and down, faster, and faster, until I thought I would never make it through that thing! As I faced those wildly happy, screaming, kiddos, and hubby’s slightly sinister, laughing face, on each revolution, I tried to keep a neutral expression to belie my true feelings about the ride. But, I knew they sensed my pitiful fear! I prayed, “Stop this crazy thing, Lord, pleeeease!” When it finally stopped, I couldn’t wait to get out. “Never again!”

Many times we allow ourselves to be led into situations that last too long and get worse before getting better. Jesus warns us not to be misled. He gives us Holy Spirit power to resist temptation and prevent situations where we find ourselves crying, “Stop this crazy thing, I want to get off!”

By grace through faith,

Rita

Change: Re-Focus!

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There’s an old saying, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” As believers in Christ Jesus, we are called to change. Join me this week and consider some aspects of change in our lives as we walk with the Lord. Is there anything that you need changed?

 

Re-Focus!

The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 

Psalm 23:1-2, NLT

Friday_Day_Five_Pic-Jesus_The_Good_ShepherdIn my introduction this week, I mentioned an old saying that, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” But if we realign our focus, change often occurs, because change always involves a refocusing in some form or another. One of the most important and rejuvenating changes we can make is to take time to regularly focus our attention on God. I know that I’m best able to discern the changes that the Lord puts before me when I get quiet and concentrate exclusively on Him. This allows me to come before His presence and reverence Him. I remember what He’s done in my life. I consider what He continues to do and promises to do in the future, just because He loves me. I thank Him for how He’s brought me through numerous difficult, heartbreaking, and uncertain times and never once abandoned me. Can you relate?

Read today’s Dose verse. It’s just one example of the countless number of occasions that David did this very thing. Here, he focused on God as his Shepherd. Since David was himself a shepherd, he knew the importance of a shepherd’s role in providing provision and protection for his sheep. Every one of us who has placed our faith and lives in Christ Jesus is one of His dependent sheep. David reminds us that God meets all of the needs of His sheep because He knows better than we do what we need and, He wants what’s best for us.

As we seek to have our lives changed by Him, He directs us away from areas where we could be tempted to stumble; and, even when we fall, He can bring us back from our failures, hurts, and suffering. I’m constantly awed by the changes God has worked in my life and the lives of other believers. When we focus on Him and see how far we’ve come as He grows us, we find rejuvenation for our souls and motivation for our hearts to press on with Him another day.

My friend, you can be encouraged today in knowing that the Good Shepherd provides all the needs of His sheep and walks with us through every change. He does all of this because of His great love for us as well as His desire to have us become more and more like Him.

Are you focused on the Good Shepherd today, or do you need to make some changes to come into His fold?

By grace through faith,

Rita

[Read all of Psalm Chapter 23 for David’s full reflection]

Change: About Those Plans!

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There’s an old saying, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” As believers in Christ Jesus, we are called to change. Join me this week and consider some aspects of change in our lives as we walk with the Lord. Is there anything that you need changed?

 

About Those Plans!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” 

Jeremiah 29:11, NLT

Yesterday we considered God in the ways we think; today let’s consider Him in our life plans.

Thursday_Day_Four_Pic_#2-snailOne hot day I saw a snail trying to make its way across the sidewalk. I suspected that it was planning to get to the coolness of the grass on the other side. I watched for a while and it was taking a long time because it was, well … a snail!  It was a snail moving at a snail’s pace. But, I knew that if the snail continued with its plan, to move at a snail’s pace across that big sidewalk, it was likely to get crushed. A group of children were racing up and down the sidewalk across the snail’s path, unaware that it was even there. I wanted to help the snail move out of the danger zone, so I reached down and attempted to turn it in the other direction.

Have you ever tried to move a snail along? It dug in and became rigid and hard to move. I actually had to pull it up to move it in another direction. It was like lifting a suction cup! And, it left a slimy smear on the ground as evidence of its resistance to change! Aren’t we like that with our plans sometimes? We’re doing what comes naturally to us, unaware of potential danger, and don’t know or consider that God has good planned for us. And, if we’re prompted to change our plans, we delay that altogether or move at … a snail’s pace to accomplish them!

Thursday_Day_Four_Pic_#1-Jeremiah_VerseRead today’s Dose verse. It refers to God’s plans for the Israelites; He had plans that they’d be brought back to Him and they could have hope in knowing that He has a future for them. God has plans for us too; good plans for our future, which He reveals when we adjust our life plans to be aligned with His. We can stop going our own way and turn to follow His direction. But, like the snail, we can find it very uncomfortable to realign our plans. It may initially feel as though we’re leaving parts of ourselves behind, like that slimy little smear from the snail, but we’ll be headed to a better future than we ever even dreamed of—a future which God specifically tailored for us.

Sister, be encouraged today in knowing that God has made good plans for your life. Are you willing to change your plans for His?

By grace through faith,

Rita