Matthew 10

Matthew 10:34-36 NIV — Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

WOW! That is a powerful interruption. Jesus tells His disciples that He has come to interrupt the world. He came to upset the apple cart and open the eyes of the seers. This was not the savior they had expected or envisioned yet He is the savior they needed. He came to cause people to question the rituals and beliefs they used to shape their lives. He came to commune with them and change their thinking. 

Jesus does the same with us, if we allow Him to interrupt us. He challenges us to change our worldly thoughts and behaviors and turn them toward eternal life. Have you allowed Jesus to interrupt you? Have you followed Him? How has He interrupted your thoughts and changed your life?

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, open my heart to the interruptions You send to shape me into being more like Jesus. May I yield to Your leading and allow You to change me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Luke 5:8-11 NIV — When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines interruption as something that causes a stoppage or break in the continuity of something. Interruptions can be positive, but often we are frustrated when we are interrupted. In today’s scripture, Jesus interrupts some men who are fishing. He gives them advice on a fishing spot and then challenges them to follow him to be fishers of people. 

Can you imagine being there and making an in-the-moment decision to drop everything and follow Jesus? Isn’t that what we are called to do? Jesus wants to interrupt our ordinary days and make them extraordinary through a relationship with Him. Have you heeded His interruption? Are you willing to drop everything and follow Him?

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, open my eyes to Your interruptions today. May my heart be yielding and my spirit be willing to follow You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Spend some time reading and meditation on this week’s featured scriptures.

Luke 5:8-11 NIV — When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Matthew 10

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV — Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Luke 5:17-20 NIV — One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

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Often days are interrupted and plans have to change. How do you respond? Listen to The Jesus Way by Phil Wickham and may each of us respond as He would.

Take a moment to listen to Christian artist Michael W. Smith as he talks about a Divine Interruption and how he has learned to respond.

In Matthew 11:28-30 NIV Jesus said — Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Being stuck can mean being blocked, wedged, or jammed. Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck in your work for Christ? Very recently I have struggled with feeling stuck in my writing. Over the last 9 years of writing for Water Walkers, God has never failed to inspire me to write. He always provides a new word, new thought, or new insight for me to share. However in late December I was feeling the pressure to produce new writing and felt I had writer’s block. I couldn’t perceive that God had anything new for me to share. Was I not listening? Or was I not being open to receive His insights? It was the thick of the Christmas season and I was busy making preparations. Was I not focused on Him? I was feeling weary and burdened. I was stuck.

I shared my concerns with Julie and Ray and asked them to join me in praying for new inspiration to write. Several days later, Ray called me and shared some writing techniques he had learned from working in the newspaper industry. While I wasn’t sure the technique was right for me, I was willing to try to help me become unstuck. The next morning I applied Ray’s suggestion and the technique has reignited my fire to write. God nudged Ray to call me that day, he obeyed, and I listened. Go God! 

As we finish this Friday together let’s recall some ways I have found to help me when I feel stuck. 

• Change your focus
• Change your routine
• Cling to scripture
• Be open and listen for God to speak through others

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Your guidance and direction. Thank You for sharing my burdens and giving me rest in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Psalms 40 NIV

Psalms 40:1-3 NIV — I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

As I shared yesterday, being stuck may mean remaining in a place, situation, or environment. Have you ever felt that way in your work environment? I found myself feeling stuck in my work as a Kindergarten teacher several years ago. Kindergarten is often a child’s first encounter with formal schooling and can prove to be difficult for some students to adapt. I had not one, but five, troubled students. Each of the students had a unique learning style, personality, and difficulty with following the rules and routines of a classroom. I had always believed God placed just the right students in my classroom each year. Either they needed me or I needed them. As the year progressed and we struggled together, I became very discouraged as I felt I was not reaching each of them. Perhaps I was not what they needed. Each day was filled with stress and worry of how to handle the situation. I felt myself slipping into a state of sadness. I felt like a failure. I felt stuck.

Then I happened upon today’s featured scripture, Psalms 40:1-3. I began to cling to the promise that God would lift me up and put a new song in my mouth, even when I couldn’t see an end to the struggle. I put my trust in Him. As the school year progressed, I developed a beautiful bond with the mother of one of the troubled students. She and I communicated daily and worked together to help regulate her child’s medication. We shared insights and strategies with one another and slowly the student grew closer and closer to me. Although his behavior had improved, his academics were failing as it had taken the majority of the school year to help him adapt to the school environment and to adjust his medication. The decision was made to retain him and after prayerful consideration I offered to have him in my class a second year so as to make his transition smoother. He and I had learned each other’s personalities and knew which buttons to not push. What a blessing it was to have him in my class a second year. I was able to watch him blossom into a successful and confident student. Clinging to scripture and trusting God had gotten me unstuck! God had lifted me out of the slimy pit and put a new song in my mouth.  

Let’s pray. Dear God, I praise You for the Scriptures that share Your promises. Thank You for always lifting me out of pits. May I always put my trust in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Isaiah 41:10 NIV — So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Being stuck may mean remaining in a place, situation, or environment. Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck in your personal life? I found myself feeling stuck in a place about this same time of year in 2001. Clark and I had only been married 3 ½ years. During the day I was working as a long-term substitute teacher. At night I was commuting to graduate school full time in order to complete my degree in a year. Clark and I were also living with his parents. To say I was stressed would be an understatement. I battled with bouts of sadness and worry that life would never get better. I felt stuck.

For Valentine’s Day Clark and I went out to dinner and strolled in and out of some shops downtown Georgetown all while I had a pity party about my feelings of being stuck. One of the shops we went into was a Christian bookstore. Clark encouraged me to find a book to help me with my stress. The book I happened upon, or as I now realize God led me to, was titled Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The book became a daily practice for me to change my focus and helped me become unstuck. Clark later titled it my “stress book.” I now realize the book inadvertently was the beginning of me having the routine of a daily devotional time.

Do you find yourself stuck today? Are you remaining in a place, situation, or environment and need God’s righteous right hand to uphold you? What steps can you make today with His help, to move forward? God is right beside you as you step out of your boat of comfort and walk on water.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Your righteous right hand that upholds me to get unstuck. Give me the strength and courage to step out and walk with You by my side. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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