The other day at breakfast my husband related an experience he had had the night before.As is his nightly ritual, he was sitting in his favourite easy chair reading his bible. Reading from John 14, he read to verse 13 when he dosed off.
A dream came to him.
In the dream he was looking at a computer screen that had John 14:13 written on it ..
"And whatsoever you ask in My name , that I will do, that the Father maybe glorified in the Son."
But over top of the verse was the triangle "Press Play".
He wasn't sure what the dream meant but the analogy presented itself immediately in my mind!
When we pull up a video or youtube on our computer screens there is the 'press play' button that activates the video. If you don't 'press play' the movie never plays, it stays static, frozen in one frame.
So often we pull up a certain scripture, a promise of God or a commandment and we just sit and look at it frozen in the frame of the printed page. To activate that promise or word of God we need to 'press play'. We need to 'act' on it -- believe it , make it something we live out, something we DO ... not just think about , not just know about , not just be able to read or even recite from memory.
What we believe motivates us to let it change us and determine our life path. Watch the things people do, listen to the things they say and you know what they believe.
Even as Christians, it is not an automatic given that the scripture we are so quick to say is the inspired word of God, is what we allow to be the greatest authority in our minds.
It is one thing to know what God says , but another to have pressed play to activate our obedience to actually live them in our daily life.
God says ... "Forgive others as I have forgiven you!" Do we press play and forgive those who have hurt or offended us ? Or do we stare at the 'screen' thinking of all the reasons why we cannot forgive someone.
God says ... "Do not worry, I will meet your needs." Do we press play and trust that all our needs will be met without us lying awake at night worrying about them? or do we go over and over the things that cause us concern and fill us with apprehension or indecision.
God says.... " Ask in my name and I will do it ... " Do we press play and believe it? Do we confidently expect the answer to our petition is coming or do we live as though our prayers go unanswered.
What scripture verses have stood out to you lately ? What passages are you drawn to ? What words of God speak to your need or situation or walk of faith ? Have you pressed play when you look at them ? or do you hold back ......
"Dear Father, I pray that you would help each person reading this to reach out and press play on your word to them. That their faith/trust in your word would be released with power and authority to play out in and through them. I thank you for your faithful, caring love for each of your children - and I love that you know each of us by name! through Jesus, Amen!"
9 comments:
Wonderful reminder of how we can get hung up in our own perspective, holding tight to our worries, to our vain attempts at providing that which he will always provide for us.
Julie, thank you so much for your beautiful reminders. Your blog is VERY precious.
Hi Julie - I meant to comment that I feel very challenged by Mark 11:24. Saying we trust the Lord and actually believing and living it are so different and I am very aware that I have such a long way to go. If you have written on this or can offer wisdom it is always much appreciated.
MariaNZ, thank you for your kind words, I appreciate them.
I did, several years ago, write a post on 'Praying with Confidence' that addresses your question re. Mark 11:24 You can find the post here... http://pearlsinanutshell.blogspot.com/2007/05/praying-with-confidence.html
This is such a inspiring post Julie. I so often think. .oh this would be a good bftj.
I'll be sure to remember this one and Press Play!
What a great post, Julie. This is an 'object lesson' I won't forget! We quoted John 14:13 last night as we met together in prayer cells...and brought our requests before God. Now I must 'press play'
What a great illustration! It reminded me of the passage about being doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22-25). We will be blessed by "pressing play"!
Now, how did you get that photo?
Great object lesson, for sure. The verses reminded me of a little book I held in myhand yesterday, on what to do when you have a terrible day ... take those verses and press play.
The Praying with Confidence post is wonderful Julie - thank you. I shall share it with my bible study sisters next week.
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