The FOCUS Word for this week is:
ANTICIPATEPsalm 32:8 ESV
And the One Word PAUSES for LENT for this 3rd week are:
17. TREASURE - Matthew 6:21
18. LISTEN - James 1:19
19. POOR - Luke 4:18
20. FORGIVE(N) - Luke 5:20
21. PEACE(MAKER) - John 14:27
22. REST - Matthew 11:28 |
After the the 4 FOCUS Weekly Words, there is a section called "Taking Inventory" and then a "Prayer". After the 2nd Week's 4 Words, I've decided that I really should be doing the part of "taking inventory" during the week that I do each One Word - it is a good review, but I think itwould help my FOCUS for that One WORD during the week that I'm focusing on that Word. The 'Inventory' contains 3 questions or thoughts for each Word. And the Prayer is absolutely wonderful at tying all those 4 Words together.
So this week, I'm looking ahead to the 'Inventory' for ANTICIPATE, after checking out the definition:
| "Biblically to “anticipate” is “to be driven by the Spirit of God” to “foresee,” and “act in advance” to “what is being brought to your attention.” |
I was thinking that I was going to say that I can't ANTICIPATE what the 'Inventory' will be for this One WORD(I guess, that doesn't fit the first part of the definition - but perhaps "foresee").
My next thought was to see if perhaps there might be a thread between the
FOCUSweekly One Word
and the LENT Words for each day
Yet during LENT, I am sensing that all of these PAUSES are meaningful apart & together. Because if you ANTICIPATE that the Spirit of God is moving in your life, it's important to what HE is speaking to you & bringing special Words to your attention for a reason.
Let's just take a moment, looking ahead to the 'Inventory' part:
"1. What have you learned from detours in your life?"
"2. Were you able to focus on anticipating God's next move instead of the roadblocks in front of you?"
"3. In what ways did you sing during the wait?" |
Now, my intent of sharing the 'Inventory' isn't for me to publicly answer them but I will make some comments about them.
First off, it's clear that we all face detours in our lives, obstacles & roadblocks - then God moves, often in a total different direction then we anticipate(d).At least that's how it's been for most of my life.
God is full of surprises!
God loves to turn something completely around.
I think that the reason some of the "detours" in my life seem to return; or I guess I never learned from them what I needed to learn so they had to be repeated in another way, in hopes that I would finally get it and learn.
So I have nothing (at least no profound lesson) that I have learned to pass on from the detours in my life.
As you can tell, I did not ANTICIPATE God's next move.
I probably was too focused on the roadblock & the detour in front of me.But so thankful when God brought me through and His next move was totallyappreciated that HE would redeem me from the situationfar beyond what I could imagine or anticipate.
God is so good!
His plan is so good for me!
God cares for me!
This gives me plenty to sing about during the wait.
Except more than likely, I didn't wait as I should have.
I totally love that 3rd question of the 'Inventory'!
Actually
I see that as a fantastic suggestion
"To SING during the WAIT"
I'm guessing singing praise & thanks during the detour or roadblock is a much better choice!
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I TREASURE God's Heart for us
and I'm learning to LISTEN
first to Him and hopefully better to others.
I really need to be "slow to speak" so I'm intent on listening.
I hope that I have given & will give
"good news to the POOR"
and the best news is Jesus!
Many just don't want to LISTEN.
I am beyond thankful
that I have been FORGIVEN
and so I need to freely forgive others.
Forgive to be forgiven.
(so much to sing about)
Yet my very favorite would be
PEACE & REST!
My wish for each of us.
The Peace that Jesus gives us and the Rest
when we come to Him when we're
weary or burdened.
I've had plenty of detours that have brought me to Jesus,
seeking His Peace and His Rest for my soul.
This must be the reason
that
I'm so easily drawn to
CALM
for my 2024 One Word
but first it looks like I need to
FOCUS
and
REFOCUS
in His Word.
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Right now, I ANTICIPATE the time I get to have morning & evening & throughout the 24/7 that I have with Jesus, in His Word, and the Peace & Rest that Jesus brings me, as His Holy Spirit fills me and brings CALM into my every breathe and I ANTICIPATE my last breath here will be my first breath in His Presence, so I can't wait. However, meanwhile I believe HE has called us to "act in advance"; pay attention to where the Spirit may be directing and calling you for your next step, avoid those detours and obstacles while we press on toward our ultimate goal.
I'm ANTICIPATING how full my life will be as I FOCUS and PAUSE on these One Words this week. With hope, I hang on to my faith and looking forward to the songs of spring coming & the celebration of RESURRECTION SONday! Jesus' triumph over sin and death! Yet I need to complete the 40 days of Lent still ... but with the Word ANTICIPATE this week - there's so much we can hope for as we ANTICIPATE! Praise God. (right?)
{this was my own little pep talk that was much needed as I typed out this blog post and muddle through life's detours (and mud) outside and around me} Hope that you're not muddling ... Week 3's "Faith that Will Not Fail" was "The Practice of Humility" - hard one but the faith builder was really needed from Matthew 5:3. Whew! We're already beginning March.
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I almost completely forgot the reading for the
3rd Sunday in Lent
is midway through Mark's Gospel
Mark 8:27-33
specifically
Mark 8:29
"But who do you say I am?"
(Jesus speaking)
The Messiah, my Savior
my personal Lord & Treasure
my Peacemaker
my Rest
JESUS
my Life Giver
my Everything
today, tomorrow, forever
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{one of my local churches did this back in the 90s}
WHO do you say HE is?
Who is JESUS to you?
