by Connie Heginbotham

Psalm 1
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Luke 9:18-25

Speaking to myself and to you, let us not be comforted by poetry and theology but hear the toughness in these readings.

Psalm 1:
Blessed is the man who delights in God's word and MEDITATES NIGHT AND DAY.

Deuteronomy:
Turn unto God with ALL thy heart and ALL thy soul. For the word is NOT in heaven or beyond the sea, but very nigh to thee, in THY mouth and in THY heart that thou mayest DO IT.

Luke:
Jesus says: DO NOT pay attention to men who say I am John the Baptist, Elias, or the Christ of God. TELL NO MAN THAT! THE SON OF MAN suffers, rejection, death. If any MAN follow me, let him DENY HIMSELF.

Following the Psalm, YOU CAN MEDITATE NIGHT AND DAY. You can catch yourself up when you lose focus.

Remembering Deuteronomy, YOU CAN LOOK IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART TO KNOW THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. You can choose to dwell in the land of the Lord.

Knowing you are human, YOU CAN DECIDE NOW TO LOSE YOUR PREOCCUPATION WITH SELF, EGO IDENTITY. You can decide not to think about whether you are respected, financially secure, healthy, loved, powerful, in-charge, up-to-date, smart, right, recognized, appreciated, accepted, attractive, desired, whatever.

YOU CAN PRAY AND PRAY AND LOSE YOUR SELF.

Challenge yourself; bring yourself back to the words of God, of Jesus. Be yourself a daughter or son of man.

What are you advantaged if you gain the whole world and lose yourself and be cast away?

TOUGH WORDS. Begin now!