I’m Doug Apple...and my heart is on fire. (Luke 24:32)
“God, what do You want me to do this year? Do You want me to do something different? Something new? Is there a new focus or goal or plan?”
That was my prayer coming into the new year, and nothing new really came to mind.
Meanwhile, I’ve been praying through various books of the Bible.
What does that look like?
Here’s how I do it. I read until something pops, until something jumps off the page, until something makes me go, “Ooo, that’s good.”
Then I underline it and turn it into a prayer.
For example, the last thing I underlined at the end of last year was Second Corinthians 6:16 where it says, “Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them…”
What jumped out to me in that verse is the phrase, “I will…walk in them.” I know about God living in us, but walking in us? I like it. It’s an action word. I want God to walk in me, to use me to make a difference.
So I underline that verse and turn it into a prayer, “Lord, please walk in me.”
Then came my first prayer time of the new year and I came across this verse in Second Corinthians 7:13. Paul is commending the Corinthians because they had greatly blessed his friend Titus. It says, “…his spirit was refreshed by you all.”
Ooo, that’s good. Underline it. His spirit was refreshed by you all.
Turn it into a prayer. “Lord, please use me to refresh the spirit of everyone I come in contact with.”
The problem is, I can’t do that. I’m not good enough. I’m not smart enough. I’m not on the ball enough to even know how to refresh everyone’s spirit.
“God, I need You to walk in me, to work through me so that I can actually do this, refresh everyone’s spirit I come in contact with.”
And suddenly it hit me. That is my something new for the new year. That is my 2021 manifesto.
“Lord, please walk in me, and use me to refresh the spirit of everyone I come in contact with.”
And just like that, I have a new year’s resolution, and I think it came straight from God.
I wrote it down. I shared it with others. I hung it up so I would see it every day. I even made little pieces of paper so I can pass it out to others.
“Lord, please walk in me, and use me to refresh the spirit of everyone I come in contact with.”
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
May your spirit be refreshed today!
I’m Doug Apple.
No comments:
Post a Comment