I am told that horses can tell where the rider is looking, and good equestrian riders guide their horses just by looking at where they want to go. Similarly, with many activities, race driving, flying, skiing, and many others, where one looks is where he or she will end up going, whether that is a good direction or not. A skier focusing on the obstacle is likely to hit it.

In a similar way, In Hebrews 12:1-2 Paul tells us, ” ..let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

When we keep our eyes on Jesus, on his example, his will, and on being with him, we will avoid and overcome the obstacles that would lead us astray.

Dear Lord, You are our hope and salvation. Help us keep our eyes on you so that we may run the race you put before us that leads to you. In Jesus name. Amen.

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We put time, energy and care into protecting and providing for those that we love; parents and children, siblings, friends that need help, and those less fortunate who cannot provide for themselves. So we watch over those who we love.

An interesting verse to think about is Psalm 145:20, which says, “The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.”

It would make sense if the verse said, “the Lord watches over all who he loves,” but the verse turns it around and says he will watch over those who love him. So when we love God we affect God’s response to us.

Dear Lord, help us show our love for you by putting your will first in our lives, and following your guidance. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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For those of you with children, I imagine you have had this conversation when they were toddlers, “I love you this much” and spread your arms way out in each direction, then your toddler says, well “I love you this much” and spreads his or her arms out….and so on. The memories are wonderful.

In Ephesians Paul describes how God feels the same way about us. Ephesians 2:17-19, he writes “And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.” TLB

What comfort it is for us to know that we can confront everything in life knowing we are the loved children of the Father and creator of everything.

Dear Lord, no matter how much we love others and love you, it doesn’t compare to the magnitude of your love for us. Help us have peace in this knowledge. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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You may have heard this expression, “Attitude determines your altitude.” Though it is simple and trite, the message carries truth. Our attitude has a tremendous effect on our lives.

In Romans 14, Paul is teaching about what is important in the church, saying that it is not about following ceremonial laws but about our attitude and why we do what we do. In verses 17-18 he says, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.”

If we start with this attitude of Goodness, Peace, and Joy, open to the Holy Spirit’s work in us, we can’t help but be examples of God’s love.

Dear Lord, help us establish positive attitudes each day so that we may handle all that life gives us with Goodness Peace and Joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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It is important for each of us to have a standard of behavior by which we measure ourselves. For example if we say, I am going to read my Bible each day, we measure ourselves to that guideline and strive to achieve it. We may not always achieve it, but we know what the objective is, and we should regularly ask God to help us live to high standards.

David describes his standards in Psalm 101, which begins, “I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.”

He goes on to list a number of standards of behavior that he establishes for himself, which we can learn from also.

I like the expression describing the reason for standards. “The standard is the straight line so we know what a crooked line looks like.”

Ultimately, all our standards can be traced back to the two most important commandments Jesus tells us in Matt 22:37-39, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Dear Lord, Like David, we ask that you come help us strive to live to the standard you set, Love you and love our neighbor. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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