Today’s Reflection
WE ALL KNOW that desire drives people to do things they never would have imagined unless that kind of fervor had played a role. Crimes of passion are committed by people otherwise considered mild-mannered, law-abiding, or incapable of such deeds. Likewise, the desire to achieve, to serve, or to know God has provided the drive behind many extraordinary accomplishments.
While passion is often considered an explanation for antisocial behavior, it is not a valid excuse. Desire can be harnessed, doused, indulged, or set aside; it’s entirely our choice. The apostle Paul makes the point many times that even though desire is a potent force, our passions certainly fall within the parameters of self-control.
While desire is implicated in a boatload of sins (the Bible refers to evil desires, human desires, sinful desires, corrupt desires, lustful desires, deceitful desires, harmful desires, etc.), the scriptures also point to desire as perhaps the key ingredient, or catalyst, to spiritual growth.
—Derek Maul
Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men
From pages 34-35 of Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men by Derek Maul. Copyright © 2007 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
How do you feed your desire to grow spiritually? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture
As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
—Psalm 42:1, NRSV
Prayer for the Week
Give me the courage and strength to serve you, Lord.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.
Something more
Sight Psalms is a daily, online, photo inspiration intended to help people reflect on God’s presence in the world and in their lives through the use of images. Each day, a new photograph is posted to evoke reflection and inspiration within themes connected to the Christian year, and it is usually accompanied by a few words. Discover more.
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
Sponsored by The Upper Room. Copyright © 2019 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA
6 Comments
Read the lectionary scriptures daily. Read other UR resources, especially Disciplines. Thank God, i.e., have an attitude of gratitude and thank God for specifics. Pray. Journal. Go to the Bible study led by my pastor (if there is one going on. We’re off for the summer.) Mission trips to Red Bird and El Salvador. Work at the Food Pantry. I carry a little wooden cross in my pocket and ask God to lead me to someone who needs it. Sing. “Open the eyes of my heart Lord. . . .I want to see you.. . ..” I try to be faithful to daily activities listed above. I can’t say I do everything daily.
I read the Bible daily and make use of Upper Room resources, including the daily devotional, as well as Guideposts resources. Most of all I come here daily and driink from the well of freely given spiritual wisdom.
Prayers for Gail and welcome.
Prayers for Mary and her father, may his health and appetite improve and may Mary be strong in order to meet her many obligations. May she be blessed for her caring so tenderly for her parents.
Prayers for Marcy and her health.
Prayers of thanksgiving for good news for Robert and continued progress in the condo sale.
Prayers for Jill and her school as they mourn the teacher who was such a faithful Christian and friend.
Prayers for Connie as she attends her doctor’s appointments, may all be well.
Prayers for Lou and her daughter as they prepare her for college.
Prayers and blesssings and warm hugs and many thank yous dear UR family
One last thing…I just won concert tickets from the radio station I listen to! I have wanted to go to this concert very badly and Megan is sleeping so I can’t tell her yet. Thank you for sharing in my joys as well as my pain. Thank you God for joys amongst the pain.
Thanks Jill!
Read the Bible, apply it daily, pray, reflect, listen to sermons and testimonies, fellowship with other Christians and worship God. These are some of the things I do to feed my desire to grow spiritually.
Blessings!
Keeping the faith just comes naturally as I go from day to day.
Julie, may the concert fill you with music to fill your soul. Music certainly does that.
My husband saw a Hummingbird at the feeder at dusk last night. I believe it was a “scout”. Yay!
I also read the daily devotional every day. Today it brought to mind the song “On the wings of a snow-white dove”
Have a great weekend everyone.
Been praying for you, my UR Reflections siblings and friends! I’m on a migraine jag m, very hard to see type, but read each day and pray.
Hard to keep Mt daily Bible study during this, so I pray intercessory prayers for many I know btw name and only God knows how many keep private. It sustains me beyond all measure. I have a regimen of prayer and study daily normalkh. And my kind and Spirit-filled helper, Mary, for some hours. Shd, too, is a bless from God I’m reminded of each day.
Thank full to all who have been keeping me in prayer. All kinds of troubles lately, with no let up between. Don’t want to burden my family here, with so many issues of the if iwn. Praise God for all who experience happiness and harmony from our Father in heaven. Praying for those who grieve, suffer and have very legitimate fears in life. God is good, all the timf. In His time and if if is His will, HD will answer our prayers.
Love to all, praying God’s for all, thankful to God for all of you!
And these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is LOVE!
Was out and about yesterday, car maintenance, food shopping, bills paid, and a big errand done. Have learned I am clear to close. A definite date not given yet. Most recent target date is June 17th. Very thankful for the progress.
Will pick up some missing issues of The AMBASSADOR, the journal of the Central Vermont Railway Historical Society today as I help count our back issue collection. These will bring my collection up to date.
Enjoy as always the posts here at the UR from all of you, thank you for your prayers. You and your concerns are in my prayers. Thankful for Gail’s God-filled life, Julie’s concert tickets, Marcy’s email despite a migraine, Connie’s hummingbird report, and Mary’s prayers. Thank You, Lord.
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