Being Intentional

Our last blog, Next Steps, included a call to meet with God to focus on where He wants to take us next. Some have taken that step and as a result God is walking with them down a new and deeper path. In our study in Luke, we have seen already how God worked in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna, to move them along their faith journey to the next step He had for them.  

 

The letter that follows is from Judy Bond, Teaching Director for CBS-Rutherfordton Day Class, sharing her thoughts about being intentional with those Next Steps He has for us:

 

Hello Ladies, 

I thank you all for answering God's call to study His Word.  Over the past week God has brought the word "intentional" to me in various ways. I heard it at church and in a prayer Sharon Lorber from our Children’s Department prayed at Leadership Prayer on Wednesday morning and over and over it keeps popping up to grab my attention.  

I know God is calling me to be more intentional with the things he asks of me.  What is often hard is when He asks me to do things that I don't always deem to be important.  But He calls us to obedience, so I have included intentionality as a prayer focus for the week, not just for CBS but also for my personal life.  Some questions I’ve asked myself:

·       Am I intentionally setting aside time to shepherd, or just doing it when convenient?  (Remember Satan will keep you busy when you depend on convenience!)

·       Am I intentionally setting aside time to pray and do my lesson, or am I doing it when it’s convenient?  

·       Am I intentional about my prayer life, keeping a written record of needs or do I just wait until they pop into my head?  

·       Am I intentional in taking time to listen to my spouse/children/loved ones/friends, or again, do I just listen when it's convenient for me?  Do I give them my full attention or partial?  

·       Am I intentional in coveting time alone with God? Do I meet Him on His terms or do I squeeze in a few minutes here and there when it’s convenient for me? 

These are all thoughts that I have been thinking and have been challenging me. I wish it was all natural, but the natural man is not who we are in Christ.  Jesus was intentional with His Father, His followers, with us and His mission.  So, as I challenge myself to look at my own life, I pass the challenge along to you. ~ Judy

 

Spiritual growth can be a long slow journey but it starts with one intentional step followed by another. Will you take the challenge presented by Judy this week? Will you chose an area in your life and service to God and be intentional about drawing closer to Him in that one area?

Remember, the best is yet to come!