A WORD FOR TODAY, October 24, 2024
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, October 24, 2024
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.” John 15:1-8, WEB
I twirled baton when I was young; I was a majorette in Junior High and then in High School I twirled a rifle. I was rarely without something in my hand in those early years, whether it was my baton or rifle. You would probably see me twirling something even if I was just walking down the street to a friend’s house or the bus stop. Constant use meant that the baton became a part of my body, like another appendage. I wasn’t the greatest majorette, many were able to do much harder tricks, but my twirling was smooth, graceful and very natural.
I haven’t practiced in years. There was a brief period when Victoria twirled that I played with my batons, but never really got make the smooth grace of my youth. I have recently picked up my batons again, as a fun way to exercise, but it is no longer a natural activity. I thought about finding a studio where I might practice and get back most of the skills I had, but most places are designed for children or youth, and they are all about competition, not simply enjoyment. Besides, I have adult responsibilities; I can't walk around with a baton in my hand every waking hour. There are other things that are far more important to accomplish, which I can’t do while I’m twirling a baton. We lose skills and habits from lack of use. It has even happened with my prayer and devotional life.
I once saw a comic strip in which a character was talking to Jesus who said, “I don’t feel like praying today.” Jesus answered, “You are talking to me now.” Sometimes the punchline is funny because it is true. We are engaging in prayer any time we think about Jesus. Yet too many of us think that’s enough. We don’t set aside time every day to pray or read the bible. When we are faithful to these practices, they become natural, a part of our day. We miss it if something gets in the way. It takes practice and discipline to get there, though. Most of us are not so faithful. We get caught up in the daily grind, think we don’t have even five minutes to give specifically to time with God. We pray on the run, eat the scriptures like we eat fast food. When we practice the daily routine of our devotional time, it is a natural extension of our being, and we find our days go better. When we stop, for even a few days, it gets harder to keep up the practice and things in our life get out of control. Our devotional time, or lack of it, becomes visible to the world around us. It is in that time with God that we strengthen our relationship and connection to Him.
Ignace Jan Paderewski, a polish pianist, once said, “When I miss a day of practice, I can always tell it. If I miss two days, the critics will pick it up. If I miss three days, the audience will notice it.” The same is true about everything we do. Daily time spent doing the things we love will be manifest in the world, even if we do it behind closed doors. With baton twirling, my daily habit of twirling showed the grace with which I walked and in the way I could move my body. When I stopped, I lost much of the elasticity in my muscles that came from the practice.
Though our devotional time is private, our time spent with God is obvious to the world around us. We go forth in faith, with joy and love, to do all that God would have us do. When we stop spending that time with the Lord, we lose touch with the source of our strength and faith. It does not take long before it becomes difficult for us to even find a few moments alone with God. We claim a lack of time and we try to go at it on our own. We find, all too quickly, that it is only with God’s help that our world is really under control. It is not enough to cry out to God occasionally in passing. It takes practice to develop a good pattern of devotional time, but it is well worth the trouble. For our daily time with God will help us to live more closely in His heart and kingdom.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org