Self

Today is another milestone for me and my wife. (I had to make sure I spelled that correctly - MILEstone, not MILLstone). We've officially been married for 37 years. You'd think I would have remembered something like that. Nope.

Well, I actually DID remember our anniversary. We plan to go out to dinner tonight at our favorite "anniversary restaurant." We planned that weeks in advance. But you'd think I would have remembered to get my wife an anniversary card. Nope.

After my morning shower I got dressed and came out into the kitchen. There, on the counter, was card addressed to "Bob." Me. An anniversary card from my wife. And there I stood with nothing to give in return. That bothered me. Maybe you heard the little voices that were yelling insults at me in my head. They seemed loud enough to me.

"Don't you LOVE your wife? Why didn't you get her a card? She LOVES cards! Couldn't you have spent five minutes out of your "busy" day to get your wife a card?!?"

Alright, already!

I wrote my wife a nice note and left it on the counter. Maybe that would appease her until dinner, but it didn't appease me. A stupid little card! Why didn't I remember that? Old age? Forgetfulness? Or was I simply too busy with other things and my anniversary got pushed into the back of my brain somewhere. Lost.

How like me.

I look at my relationship with Jesus and I shake my head at how inattentive I can be. Some days I can be very devoted but other days I seem to be all over the place. Any place but where I should be. I'm like the Jews in the desert, wandering and wandering. I hope it doesn't take me another 40 years to get where I want to be - the promised land.

While I was praying with my friend this morning I came to realize that we humans are ALL pretty much the same. We spend so much of our time focused on ourselves it's ridiculous. We could all stand to have a little more God in our lives and whole lot less of us.

As we begin this new day, may there be less of us in it. May our day be focused on God and on others. If I may be so bold as to temporarily re-write scripture, may we be devoted to God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. And may we be devoted to others INSTEAD of being devoted to ourselves.

There is a saying amongst us Christians that says we must "die to self."

May I be guilty of murder today.

"20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." - Ephesians 4:20-24

I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me