Luke 8:21
He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."
Our granddaughter, Virginia Rose, never ceases to amaze and amuse us. She loves to try new things and manages to manipulate objects in the most unique and unexpected of ways. Whether it's collecting leaves from our deck and tossing them over the edge to see how they float to the ground, observing ants cruise along the railings, or yanking on the clothesline to make it dance frenetically, Virginia makes a game out of everything.
And, like any other three-year-old, Virginia is full of questions which she asks with regularity. If I answer her in a way that tickles her funny bone, she will laugh and say, "Try again!" Of course, I say the same silly words I just spoke, and hear another "try again" until Virginia has her fill of entertainment from that particular episode.
Do I tire of repeating myself? Honestly, yes, I do. But, the delight on Virginia's face more than makes up for any boredom on my part.
And, this exercise reminds me of what it means to practice, continually, anything and everything we wish to become better at doing. It may feel like drudgery - practicing scales when we want to play chords - but, when we try again, try again, try again, one day we find we have reached that goal. And, our music flows freely and flawlessly.
It is the same with our Christian walk. Jesus tells us that it's not enough to simply hear the Word of God, we must put it into practice. And, it's not a just-on-Sunday-show-up-at-church kind of deal. This means engaging with God daily through the Bible, in prayer, and in how we treat our family and friends, neighbors and strangers.
Because, if we don't practice our faith regularly, we will never get past the scales in our lives in order to joyfully play our song all the way through to the end.
Will we have failures and setbacks along the way? No doubt about it. But, we have the reassurance of Jesus' grace and forgiveness. He understands those times when we don't get things right. When we fail to trust Him. And, forget to put our faith into practice.
When we fall, He is right there. Picking us up. Brushing us off.
And, saying, "Try again!"
~
When have you heard the Lord telling you to try again?
Prayer: Today, Father, we are thankful for the spontaneity and curiosity of children whose words and actions ever help us to see that Your kingdom is at hand. When the weight of the world is upon us and we feel like we are failing You, let us hear Your comforting voice telling us to "try again." In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
'When we fall, He is right there. Picking us up. Brushing us off.' - This is so reassuring! Thank you, dear Martha!
ReplyDeleteI know I find it so reassuring, Portia. Glad you did, too!
DeleteLove and blessings!
And, again, I say, "amen!" Thanks, PS!
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, another insightful post. It never ceases to amaze me what we can learn from young children. We adults really need to find our "inner childlike curiosity". I seem to remember Jesus saying something about our need to have childlike faith.
ReplyDeleteEach day is a gift from God, another chance to get things right. I'm so thankful for God's patience with me!
Love and blessings!
And, I'm so grateful for His patience with me, too, Kim!
DeleteYes, we can learn so much from the insights of the little ones. I can understand why Jesus said we need to become as children to enter the kingdom of God. Their trust and acceptance are without question or fear. Getting in touch with our inner child is crucial to letting go and letting God.
Love and blessings back at you!
You know Martha you wouldnt believe what I am going to say -
ReplyDeleteSince last 1 week I am going through a tough time - personally, professionally, healthwise I have had a bad relapse and I am at rockbottom is how I was feeling when I read this post and I got the answer.
I was asking HIM what is that you are trying to show me through this and the answer is here TRY AGAIN :D
Thank you so so much for being the messenger Martha <3
Love and Hugs and this time I will try more harder :)
Oh, Privy, I got chills of the good kind when I read your comment here. I'm so glad the words I wrote, thanks to God's inspiration, met you where your needs are greatest. And, know I will keep you in prayer for full healing in every aspect of your life.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Hi Martha - sometimes life lets us down and sometimes, we let ourselves down. Thank you for the reminder to keep on trying. God would expect nothing less from us and ultimately helps us learn and grow through our failures and our setbacks.I love how you'r eplaying along with your granddaughter. I would probably play this game 3 times with my nephews before telling them that I'm done trying. lol
ReplyDeleteLol, Vishnu! I hear you when it comes to playing the game with your nephews. Virginia visited with us today, and had several more episodes of "try again." It can definitely wear me down. :)
DeleteBut, when it comes to living our lives, God definitely wants us to keep on trying. Knowing the Lord is with us through it all is the only thing which gives me the strength to persevere.
Love and blessings!
Yeah...quitting is easy but trying again and again without giving up is tough.
ReplyDeleteIt can be the toughest thing, Janaki, but I don't think anyone got anywhere saying, "I quit" because things weren't going the way we thought they should. We all need a spirit of determination, knowing God will get us over the rough spots.
DeleteLove and blessings!
This is how I feel about writing sometimes. Well actually all the time. Somewhere deep within me, when I feel like throwing in the towel and have no words at all, I wake up on Monday and know exactly what to write. It is almost as if He wants me to keep trying and continue. So I do.
ReplyDeleteI've had days like that, too, Kathy, when I felt I could be on the verge of a dry spell in the writing. But, like you, I do it anyway and God always pulls me through, many times in ways I could never have anticipated!
DeleteLove and blessings!