Core Scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10)

Message: Thank God for Spring Break!  Right when you think you can’t escape the doldrums of 3^rd quarter, God gives you a fresh, rejuvenating, warmer weather-filled break.

The beginning of Psalm 46:10 above is the epitome of Spring Break.  It gives us time to stop our crazy lives and BE STILL.  Amidst our hectic, task-filled lives, we can slow down, step back, and reflect on what God needs us to do. 

Jesus knew this as much as anyone.  He always carved out time to spend with the Lord—especially when He was weighed down with troubles.  Sometimes you might be tempted to skip over these one-sentence scriptures, but when you notice the regularity of them, you cannot help but realize their importance.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” (Luke 5:16)

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

See what I mean?  Numerous other scriptures popped up when I googled Jesus praying, but you get the point.  And totally convicting considering my FCA Daily Impact Play devotion this morning expressed that so well.  I knew God was speaking to me in a simple but clear message.

(Feel free to read the devotion here if you would like the encouragement: https://fcaresources.com/devotional/prayer-preparation)

But that was merely the beginning.  Next, I opened YouVersion on my phone and read a devotion about parenting that some men in my church are completing together.  The message hit me like a sledgehammer through a watermelon.  It closed with a message about humility, encouraging fathers to be able to say these highly impactful 13 words:

I was wrong.

I am sorry.

Will you forgive me?

I love you.

Never easy to say.  Especially when you think you are in the right.

I wrapped up my quiet time with a third devotion from a book my friend Terry gave me.  The title?  “Avoid Stupidity.”  Sounded intriguing to say the least!  The scripture it led off with was Proverbs 12:1 which says, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” 

How did this apply to me?  My journal afterwards revealed it.  I dug deep inside my soul and found some wounded areas of my heart that refuse to heal.  There was some discipline in my life that I have not fully embraced, specifically toward someone I have not seen since last year. 

While brushing my teeth, God could not have been clearer in His nudging.  Get ahold of him.  Clear the air and forgive him.  Make amends and invite him to Easter services at your church.  This was all so confusing to me.  I had to seek wisdom from my mentor, Rick. 

We were on the phone within 20 minutes.  I told him I was thinking about writing this person a note or even a letter.  Rick immediately said that although the intentions were good, this would not be the wisest idea.  He recommended a phone call or face-to-face meeting.  Words could be misunderstood otherwise. 

I thanked Rick for his advice and sent that person a quick email asking for a friendly chat either on the phone or over coffee.  My treat.  But before sending that message, I prayed for the Lord to soften this man’s heart and wipe any bitterness clean from my own heart.  Even if I do not get a response, at least I tried, right?  The ball is now in his court. 

Well, scratch that … His court. 

Take what you want from this story.  There are lessons in humility, forgiveness, being still, and following God’s will to name a few.  As for me, I relish each truth and anxiously await what God has planned next. 

None of these revelations would have come to me had I not taken time to slow down and be still this morning. Even if you are busy traveling on Spring Break, you can still choose to seclude yourself and pray.

Challenge: I must admit that my quiet time feels a bit stale at times.  Although that was not the case today, I challenge you all to reply back to my blog here and let us all know how you get the most out of your quiet time.  Do you mix it up?  Keep the same routine?  Do different things on different days?  I would love to be sharpened by others through these questions. 

Bible study: Read Matthew 26:36-46 and journal or discuss the following questions …

1. Why was this prayer at Gethsemane needed?
2. How did this prayer express Jesus’s innermost feelings?
3. What do you think God’s response back was?
4. What situation in your life do you need to pray about before going into battle?

Christian teacher Zoom: I will be on a 45-minute Zoom this coming Tuesday night, March 19 at 7:00 pm along with other Christian teachers.  Please join us if you can!  The link is below:

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/81460989966?pwd=1bJHvHK2QHP3oACIPn63TcbKazXXOj.1

Meeting ID: 814 6098 9966

Passcode: KC-CE

These Zoom meetings take place on the third Tuesday night of each month and are a great way to connect with other Christian educators.  Here are the dates if you want to mark your calendar:

• Mar 19, 2024 07:00 PM
• Apr 16, 2024 07:00 PM
• May 21, 2024 07:00 PM

Prayer points: Lift up the following areas to the Lord …

• Praise God for Spring Break and the time He gives us to recharge!
• Pray that we can all be still and listen to God’s nudges in our lives.
• Pray that the Lord would soften the heart of the man I mentioned above so I can invite him to Easter. 

Just for fun: Just curious if this is you …

Prayer: Lord, Spring Break is such a blessing!  Thanks for giving us time to slow down, be still, and follow your lead.  Amen.