God’s Promises Are Perfect
Sunday, January 11
PSALM 12
“Help, Lord, because the godly are all gone; the faithful have completely disappeared from the human race!” (v. 1, CEB).
As a spiritual director, I often hear this lament from those I companion. And it’s one I share! Whether it’s the contentious political infighting we follow on the media, fractious family relationships, a competitive work environment that has devolved into squabbling and backbiting, or stories of exclusion and bullying brought home from school by our children or grandchildren, we can become increasingly disheartened and overwhelmed.
But God is faithful, and God’s promises are as pure as perfectly refined silver. When we pray, “Help, Lord,” God answers. This psalm tells us that God promises to provide the help we need. Imagine! God, clothed in splendor and power, standing right next to the poor, the needy, the oppressed right next to you and me. As Paul reminds us in Romans 8:28 and 31, God works for the good of those who love him, and if God is for us, who can be against us?
Lord, help me remember that no matter how wicked the world seems, I can rely on your presence and promise to keep me safe, to protect me, and to provide exactly what I need to find peace in the storm. Amen.
God’s Promises Are Everlasting
Monday, January 12
ISAIAH 60:19-22
This is a wonderful passage for a lectio divina—a sacred reading. Follow along as I share what God is revealing to me, then take some time with the passage for yourself.
Reading: As I read the passage aloud several times, I notice so many references to light and to life. God’s creative work is woven throughout the images, and God’s power to bring restoration to both our individual lives and to the world around us is manifest. The comings and goings of the sun and the moon are replaced by the constancy of the Lord’s everlasting, shining glory. God’s care for the least among us is mighty.
Meditation: I am particularly struck by the promise that our days of sorrow and mourning will end. I am encouraged that in God’s perfect timing, healing will be swift. I write this on the anniversary of my son’s death, and God’s promise that all our sadness will be blotted out speaks to me in a very personal way.
Contemplation: I sit in stillness and allow God’s presence to enfold and comfort me. I consider what my active response to God will look like.
Holy God, your gift of everlasting light lifts our hearts in our most difficult and vulnerable times. Help us remember that we are the work of your hands, and your love and care for us are eternal. Amen.
God’s Promises Are Constant
Tuesday, January 13
MATTHEW 3:13-17
Imagine John reviewing his day at the Jordan River with gratefulness and wonder. Did he repent of his attempt to avoid baptizing Jesus? Was he feeling awkward, humble, affirmed, or perhaps awed? How did these emotions draw him toward Christ? Did he lift his voice in praise and thanksgiving as he became aware that he had been standing in the presence of the Triune God—the Father blessing the Son through the touch of the Holy Spirit?
The daily examen is a five-step spiritual exercise that encourages us to briefly reflect on our day, recognizing God’s presence and becoming more aware of our response to God. Spiritual director Maryl De Milo has outlined the steps in a way that’s easy to remember:
1) Relish: Review the day with gratitude, rejoicing in positive moments and giving thanks (consolations). 2) Repent: Recognize any challenges and missed opportunities (desolations). 3) Review: Acknowledge your feelings. Did they move you toward God and others? 4) Request: Lift up one thing from your day and bring it to God in praise, supplication, repentance, or thanksgiving. 5) Resolve: Look forward to tomorrow, acknowledging God’s love for you and asking God’s guidance.
Holy God, cultivate in us the sure knowledge that you are with us throughout each day. Grant us the joy of knowing how much you love us, and give us the wisdom to seek you. Amen.
God’s Promises Are Exciting
Wednesday, January 14
JOHN 1:29-34
When was the last time you were so excited about something that you simply could not stop telling people about it? In this passage John testifies in every single verse about who Jesus is: the Lamb of God (v. 29), the one I meant (v. 30), the reason I came (v. 31), the one the Spirit remained upon (vv. 32–33), the chosen One (v. 34). That’s enthusiasm!
I’m reminded of when my children would rush through the kitchen door after school, bubbling over with the good news of their day. They were happy and eager to tell it over and over again, and it was important that I stop and listen to them. Good news needs telling.
Spiritual direction is a ministry of listening and encouraging. When God moves powerfully in a person’s life, when someone has a spiritual epiphany that causes them to radiate joy, when a restless soul finally finds healing peace in Christ, spiritual directors listen and encourage them to tell their good news to others. Good news needs telling.
Lamb of God, you are the good news. Give us the joyful enthusiasm of children so that we may, as Peter advises, “be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why we’re living the way we are” (1 Peter 3:15, MSG). Amen.
God’s Promises Are Revealing
Thursday, January 15
JOHN 1:35-42
This passage describes the beginnings of our spiritual journey. We may have been pursuing promising ideas, hoping for a strong connection, yet still feeling unsettled. Then someone points to the Truth, and we move out in faith toward the One who created us, resonating with St. Augustine’s words in the his Confessions: “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
Christ invites us to examine our heart’s desires: “What are you looking for?” He bids us, “Come and see” (v. 39) the dwelling place of the Lord, to sit at his feet and learn. And as he did with Simon Peter, he sees us and he names us.
In the spiritual direction relationship we examine the question “How goes your walk with God?” Through prayer, contemplation, journaling, or other spiritual practices, each person seeking direction is encouraged to continue the sacred dialogue that Jesus began with them. We continue the work of accepting God’s grace and mercy and acknowledging his steadfast love for us. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, clarity of direction and purpose is slowly discerned as we learn to partner with God where God is already at work.
Gracious God, open our senses so that we may know your presence. Open our ears so that we may hear your call. Open our eyes so that we may see your dwelling place. Open our minds so that we may learn from you. Open our hearts so that we may step out in faith to do your work in the world. Amen.
God’s Promises Are Intimate
Friday, January 16
JOHN 3:22-30
John the Baptist was precise: I do my thing, but I don’t do what Jesus does. From before his birth, John’s gifting and role were made clear by God: John was to get the people ready for the Messiah; he was not the Messiah. John understood this well. He lived into his purpose, reminding his supporters that he could only be what God created him to be.
I admit that sometimes I chafe at being ordinary. I feel as though I’m standing at the back of the line still waiting for my spiritual gift. I think that I could serve God’s kingdom better with more dramatic gifts, so I look up yet another spiritual gifts inventory to see if I’m missing something. But just as the narrator in Stephen King’s short story “Two Talented Bastids” learns, nothing can give you what isn’t already there, no matter how badly you want it. More to the scriptural point, “a person can receive only what is given them from heaven” (v. 27, NIV).
God’s gifts to us are uniquely and intimately ours. In spiritual direction we explore the boundaries of our creation and our creativity. A particularly useful prayer posture is hands-down/hands-up prayer. With the palms of our hands facing downward, we release to God our envy, fear, anxiety, or anything else we need to let go of. With the palms of our hands lifted, we position ourselves to receive with gratitude the gifts God has prepared for us and the wisdom to use them wisely.
Lord God, I celebrate that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14a). Help me receive my gifts with gratitude and live into becoming a living witness to the saving grace of Christ Jesus. Amen.
God’s Promises Are Powerful
Saturday, January 17
PSALM 29
My mother loved thunderstorms. She would sit near an open window and watch the display of lightning, breathing in the aroma of the dampening earth as it soaked up the rain and breathless with awe as the rumbling thunder echoed around the cloud-clogged sky. Did she recognize God’s voice and find consolation? I believe she did, and it calmed and centered her.
This psalm is a celebration song. It rejoices in the provision of rain that brings renewed life after a drought. It celebrates the power of the Lord to sustain and rescue his people amid life’s chaos and trials. Psalm 29 exhorts us to stand firm no matter what troubles life brings. The God who controls the storm gives us strength. God meets us in our times of deepest need. The psalmist recognized God’s voice in the noise of the raging storm.
In spiritual direction I often encourage a person to spend time with God in a simple, nonstructured way. My favorite practice is to take a walk in my neighborhood and, as Adele Calhoun says in Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, “Notice signs of God’s love. Read nature as a revelation of God.” I draw strength from the evidence of God’s presence in all of creation. Of course, I also enjoy a good thunderstorm. And along with my mother, I have learned to sing in stormy weather.
God of all creation, you know our hearts. We are full of praise, assured that we can rest in your presence and that you will care for all our needs. Amen.
