Here are the things that inspired me this week:
1. Bible Verse I'm Meditating On
Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 CSB
The "therefore" reminds us to go back and read the verses before this one, which explains what Christ has done for us. And because of all He has done, we not only have access to the Father in prayer, but we can confidently come boldly into His presence to get help in our time of need. I love that the writer of Hebrews describes God's presence as "the throne of grace," not the throne of judgment or condemnation, but grace; the place we find mercy and grace in our time of need. Don't be timid in prayer - God wants us to come boldly into His presence.
As John Newton, the writer of "Amazing Grace" once wrote:
“Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring, for His grace and power are such none can ever ask too much.” Amen!
"The person who learns the most in any classroom is the teacher. If you really want to learn a topic, then 'teach' it. Write a book. Teach a class. Build a product. Start a company. The act of making something will force you to learn more deeply than reading ever will." James Clear
Clear, the author of "Atomic Habits" is spot on with this quote. You always learn more from teaching than anything else. And this is a great truth for following Jesus and making disciples. When you take a step of faith to disciple someone else, it forces you to be more intentional about being a disciple yourself. You learn more about following Jesus by teaching other people to follow Jesus.
4. Book I'm Reading
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
McKeown writes, teaches, and speaks around the world on the importance of living and leading as an Essentialist. His book is more than a time-management technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter.
I'm only a couple of chapters into the book, but he asks some important, but tough self-reflection questions to make you think abut what is really important to you and what you are living your life for. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it.
5. Dad Joke I'm Digging
A church had a picnic and invited the entire community to come. The Pastor placed a basket full of apples on one end of a table with a sign saying, "Take only one apple please - Remember that God is watching."
On the other end of the table was a plate of cookies where one of the children had placed a sign saying, "Take all the cookies you want -- God is watching the apples."
Bonus - Memorial Day
Monday is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember those who have given their lives for the freedoms of our nation. The roots of Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, emerged from a desire for healing after the Civil War. With hundreds of thousands of lives lost, communities across both the North and South began to decorate the graves of their fallen soldiers. These "decoration days" often involved worship services and the placement of flowers on graves of loved ones.
For many of us today, it is a time to reflect on the reality of selfless sacrifice of those who have given their all for their country. As we observe Memorial Day, we not only honor the sacrifices made by our service members, but we also acknowledge the spiritual courage and conviction that often guided them. It is a day to reflect on the preciousness of freedom, the cost of its preservation, and to renew our commitment to the values for which so many have given their lives. In remembering them, we are called to live lives worthy of their sacrifice.
This year is significant in that it is the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. I came across this moving Memorial Day tribute:
I pray you have a great Memorial Day Weekend, and God bless America!
