Deep Tissue Massage
Recently I had a deep tissue massage. I thought it would be just like a regular massage, only with more pressure. Not so! The therapist placed her elbow into a large muscle on my back and put all her weight on me, pressing hard on the knotted muscle.
She applied pressure on the back, shoulder, arms and chest. I’ll be honest here—it hurt! But as she applied the pressure, I felt the knotted muscles loosening. I endured the pain, knowing it would result in greater comfort.
Physically, I feel better after a massage, but how does one massage away spiritual knots and pains? All of us have those pains, both recent and long ago, that flare up on occasion and keep us knotted up with sins of worry, fear, pride, anger, or bitterness.
When we feel knots of sin, we go to our heavenly Father for a spiritual massage. Yes, it will be painful, but afterward we will feel much better. The more often we visit our “masseuse,” the better we feel. During our spiritual massage we spend time in God’s word, and ask for forgiveness. Then God will loosen the knots of sin within us.
A New Thing
My Lord and Savior, creator of all things, make me open to the new things that You long for in my life. Perhaps it is a new situation or relationship, or perhaps you want me to see people or ideas in a new light. Show me Your ways, oh God.
Praising God
Thank you, Father, for providing me with your strength, your love, and your refuge. I pray you will make your presence known to those who are feeling weak, unloved, or vulnerable. Strengthen them, protect them, and let them know how much you love them.
A Matter of Focus (Audio Version)
A Matter of Focus
The lazy waters take a right angled turn. Branches of white ash bend gracefully toward the water. A flash of brilliant red—a male cardinal flies, lighting on branches across the water. He perches 15 feet above the water, secure on his leafy bench, trilling to attract his mate. I sit on a stone bench nestled between the trees. The natural beauty of the arboretum wraps me in a cocoon of peace.
To my right, I see the fence at the edge of the arboretum and hear the roar of cars as they rush past. I return my focus to the still waters, the deep browns and greens of the forest. I observe evidence of man at this place: a small white gazebo with shake shingles, a garden of pink, purple and white tulips, their double blooms resembling peonies.
Across the park a mower drones, keeping the grass trim. Between my stone bench and the water, 12 feet or so, the ground rushes down to meet the pond. Soft with 100 years of leaves, bark and pine needles, the ground supports the green ground cover and provides a soft walkway.
Greedily, I drink in the beauty and serenity of this place and ignore the traffic outside. I choose to slow down for a few moments and ignore the calls of the world beckoning to me. The more I drink in this beauty, the more I can recall and take home with me. When my world rushes around me, I can choose to look at God’s beauty all around and within me and focus on it, for it is all a matter of perspective, isn’t it? I choose my focus.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Father, thank you for the beauty of Your creation. Keep my mind focused on that beauty and on You.
Children of God
I John3:1
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.“
Father God, thank you for adopting us as your children and for loving us so completely. Thank you for lavishing spiritual gifts on us and for teaching us to be more like your only begotten son, Jesus.
God’s Comfort
Father God, I pray for those who reach out with untiring hands. You know their distress, Lord. You alone know their needs. I pray that you will draw near to them, that they will feel your loving arms of comfort and experience your grace.
Growing Stronger (Audio Version)
Growing Stronger
For years, I’ve had thinning bones. I faithfully take my calcium pills and make sure I get weight bearing exercise.
After a recent bone scan showed additional thinning, I really stepped up the exercise. In addition to tap dance classes and walks in the woods, made an effort to get up and walk every hour for at least 250 steps. For two years, I faithfully did my additional weight-bearing exercises.
Recently, I had another bone density scan. When I called for the results, the nurse said, “You have a statistically significant increase in bone density.” Wow! I was thrilled. While I was hoping to prevent bone loss, I had actually gained bone mass.
I was so excited that all my hard work made a difference. While I danced and walked, my body was growing new bone mass. With every step and every tap, unseen changes were happening deep inside my body, making me healthier. What wonderful news.
After the excitement died down, I thought about my soul. Just like my bones, it can weaken or grow stronger. No matter what I do, unseen changes are happening deep within my soul. When I become spiritually sedentary, neglecting time in the word or time with God, changes happen within my soul, and I become distant from God. I rely more on myself than on Him.
But just as my bone health improved, so my soul health can improve. When I spend time reading God’s word, praying, praising him and communing with Him, my soul changes. My relationship with God grows stronger, strengthening my soul.
I walk 250 steps every hour. I wonder what would happen if I took a minute to pray every hour of the day? How would that strengthen my soul?
We don’t have scans that can show these changes inside a soul. Nothing concrete measures improvements in love, peace, joy, or other fruits of the spirit, but we know faithfulness strengthens the soul. Even without a scan, we know that God enables our soul to grow and we become stronger and more Christ-like.
So, if you’ve neglected your soul, don’t be discouraged. Instead, rejoice. Seek God’s wisdom and let Him guide your soul growth. He will see the ways you are changing and growing, and will work deep within your soul to strengthen it.
Growing Our Faith Together 