As we close out another year of the Walk to Bethlehem, I want to propose some reflection questions of my own, some which I have pondered many a time over the course of this pandemic and I’m not sure if I have come up with any answers yet for sure. As time goes on, I think maybe things will become more clear when we reflect on this past year:

Did this pandemic serve a higher purpose from God? : I know, starting it real deep already and I’m still struggling with this one

What can we learn about humanity and ourselves dealing with quarantines, pandemic fear, and news of death not only in human life but in businesses and other economic hardships?: There’s always something to learn from any situation that life throws at you. But I think one simple answer to this question is that this time has emphasized simplicity in life and the importance of slowing down and appreciating what we are blessed with and letting go of things that weigh us down.

And finally bringing it back to this Walk: what changes have you seen in yourself or in the way you think about being more active over the past few weeks? Have you decided to commit yourself to keeping up with walking or working out more even after the Walk is officially over? If not, why not? consider making it a commitment and see what changes you can make happen. Remember all things are possible in Christ who strengthens us!

So this week’s devotion is not inspired by a devotion from the Bible app but please click on the link below for this Bethlehem Star inspired devotion. Some of you may know that I’m kind of a science nerd and get pretty jacked up and excited about space related things, so I’m really excited about this conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter occurring. I think it’s even cooler that there’s such a neat relationship with the time of Jesus’ birth! To me, seeing this bright star symbolizes hope and I feel like the hope it inspired in the Magi to travel so far away from home can be felt just as strongly today with struggles that this crazy 2020 year has put us through. We can have renewed hope with the vaccines starting to be distributed (I’m getting mine this Wednesday ah thank you) and pray that we can see a decline in the covid virus in the coming year.

https://www.faithgateway.com/nativity-star-christmas-devotional/#.X99r52jYrmV

It’s a little cloudy today in Va Beach but if it clears up take a look towards the SW horizon approximately 45 min after sunset even tonight to get a chance to see the Bethlehem Star! Otherwise tomorrow 12/21 is slated to be the day that the planets are the closest together. See the link below for more information if you’re interested!

https://www.space.com/great-conjunction-jupiter-saturn-2020-fun-facts

“Jesus Over 2020” from the Bible app

Read Romans 8:32; Psalms 100: 1-5; James 1:17

God’s Track Record

Have you ever played the “what-if” game? This is how you play: you hear some potentially bad news. Then you create “what-if” scenarios based on the potential bad news: “What is potentially the worst thing that can happen? What if this is as bad as I can imagine?”

We turn from being people who follow God, into people who fear everything. Bad outcomes are our expectation. We think Murphy’s Law is a real law: “If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong.”

A single “what-if” question drives this fearful way of life. What if God isn’t good?

Our greatest fight as Jesus followers is in tightening our grip on God. Period. When all voices scream, ‘Panic!,” the fight is to remember that there is a God and He is good!

Check out this description of someone who wins this fight from Psalm 112: 7-8 (ESV): He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

One major way to strengthen our grip on God is to check His track record. Remember Israel, God’s people? God brought his people out of Egypt. God preserved them through plagues. God divided the sea.

And that’s just a start. Romans 8:32 tells us, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

God gave us His son–the ultimate good gift. If He went as far as giving us Jesus, there is no length He won’t go to be good to us. When we feel smothered by the burden of bad news, we must remember Jesus, the ultimate display of God’s goodness.

What if we looked for what God has done, rather than what God is not doing. What if we looked for the progress we are making rather than focusing on the pandemic we are enduring? Let’s do that.

Where do you need to remind yourself of God’s goodness?

In the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4: 1-20, Matthew 13: 3-23; Luke 8: 4-15), Jesus is using different types of ground to describe different types of hearts. There is “wayside” ground, “stony” ground, “thorny” ground, and “good” ground.

We are going to focus on the “Wayside ground.” In Matthew 13:19 (NKJV), Jesus says “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.”

You can clearly see the imagery that Jesus is sharing in this passage. The “wayside” is the foot path or a walkway. When seeds fall by the ‘wayside,” it is not an intentional investment from the sower. It just happens by mistake. A “wayside” heart does not set out to hear the word of God purposefully. When this sort of heart hears the word, Satan comes immediately and takes it away.

Why is Satan allowed to take it away?

Because your heart cannot sustain its health as a “well-beaten path.” It must be guarded with diligence. Too many people, too many words, too many circumstances affecting your heart on a daily basis causes your heart to be worn out and unable to grasp what is necessary for living. An unguarded heart is an unintentional heart. It cannot purposefully embrace what God has to say. You may hear God’s word on TV or on a podcast, or even in reading this devotion; but because of the many distractions in your heart, Satan will come immediately and snatch that word away right along with your attention. Whatever gets your attention, gets you.

When it comes to your heart health, you must quiet the extra voices and the chaos around you. Find quiet time in the car, the shower, or on a simple walk outside. Allow your heart to focus on what God is whispering to it. When you quiet the chaos, your heart will become more intentional about what God has to say. You will be able to feel those “God nudges.”

Reference: “Heart Health” in the Bible app

Devotion for Week 1: Overcoming Food Temptations

Matthew 26:41

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.  For the spirit is willing, but the flesh (body) is weak.”

Ever get frustrated at how often you give in to your cravings and temptations? (Heidi raises her hand especially because she works with some really excellent bakers…)  This is a good time to remember that in our flesh, we will never be able to consistently resist temptations–our flesh is just too weak.  The Bible says, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh (body)  is weak.”

This scripture is taken from the gospel of Matthew.  The conversation takes place right after the Last Supper.  Judas had left the dinner to orchestrate the betrayal of Jesus and now we find Jesus agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane.  He is talking to the disciples (specifically Peter) and is warning him about the weakness of his physical body as he grows sleepy, and Jesus reminds him how easily his body will give in to temptations.

If we apply this scripture in Matthew 26:41 to the context of your healthy habits journey, it means that you may really want to eat well but you’re just not able to muster up the energy, discipline, motivation, or drive to actually do it.

The “flesh” Jesus referred to in Matthew 26:41 is our physical body with its appetites, desires, and weaknesses, always looking for the easy way out.  Your body easily gives in to temptation.  Your body will always overpower your spirit if you don’t watch and pray as Jesus instructed the disciples to do, as was the case with the disciples.

How does Jesus instruct us?…to watch and pray!

Watch
You will give in to temptation when you’re not standing on guard.  You need to guard your mind and your emotions like a hen taking care of her chicks.  If you let negativity and temptation into your mind, it will wear down your spirit, so be mindful of who you talk to, and what you listen to on the TV, radio, or the internet.

From the Daniel Plan:  “whatever gets your attention, gets you.”

1. Are you spending time with people who bring you down or build you up? –”leaners” or “lifters.
2. Do you continue to visit fast-food restaurants and drive-throughs intending to order the “healthier” choices on the menu hoping you won’t be tempted by the unhealthy choice that you’re actually craving?
3. Do you continue to live outside your boundaries using sheer willpower?

These types of activities will wear you down!

Pay attention to your emotions because the enemy will attack when your resistance is low. As the Daniel Plan teaches us:  Your thoughts and emotions sometimes LIE! Therefore before you react to an emotion ask yourself, “Is it true?” because it is often how we perceive a situation rather than the actual situation itself that causes us to react.  Use the acronym HALT to be more mindful of times when your emotions can affect your eating habits when you are too Hungry (aka food emergency), angry, lonely, or tired.

If you’re too stressed, your body will grow weak.  If you’re too emotional about a situation, your body will grow weak. If you’re sleep-deprived, your body will grow weak.  If you’re not properly hydrated or fueled with healthy foods, your body will grow weak.

Your body will be more willing to do what God intended for you when it is well-rested, well-fed both physically and spiritually, and feeling at peace.  That’s when your resistance to temptation and staying strong on your health journey will be strongest.

Pray
Jesus prepared the disciples by telling them to pray.

The struggle was real for Jesus too! He just finished practicing the same principle with the disciples.  We learn in the earlier verses that His flesh was failing Him, so He prayed to God to be strengthened.  The Bible says. “And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will’” (Matthew 26: 39)  The same God that strengthened Jesus when He prayed is the same God that will strengthen you during your periods of weakness, trials and temptations.

Action Steps
As you go about your day, practice watching and praying before you eat.  Be mindful of what you are eating and WHY.  Learn to “worship with your fork.”

Reflect

1. What keeps you from watching and praying about food temptations you may have?
2. What things, circumstances and situations do you need to be most watchful? (aka are you a “eat your feelings” kind of person?  Do you eat out of boredom? Are you really just thirsty and should drink some water?)  Journal your observations!
3. We’ve learned over the past weeks with the Daniel Plan and Healthy habits sermon series that it’s ok to “eat the damn cookie” from time to time which can ultimately help with our temptations and willpower.  However, if you maybe ate a few too many damn cookies, give yourself a break, don’t be too hard on yourself, and use it as a learning experience for how to do better next time.

Prayer
Dear Lord, giving in to my temptations is one of the most frustrating parts of my journey.  I start the day feeling strong and encouraged, but as the day goes by I just get weaker and weaker until i feel so defeated.  Then I wake up the next day and start the same cycle over and over again.  I’m grateful that I am learning how to identify why I keep repeating this pattern.  I’m also glad that I’m learning that I am not powerless.  But I am also no match for my cravings and that’s why I must pray.  I must come to you every time and must stand on guard so that you will help give me strength to HALT my temptations.  So I take a deep breath, I let go of all the anxiety I have around my fears of never overcoming my temptations.  I watch, I pray, and I trust that you will help me.  You will strengthen me.  You will satisfy my hunger and cravings.  Thank you, Lord. In your name I pray, Amen.

Reference:  5 Day Weight Loss Devotion; Healthy Eating God’s Way:  12 Pillars to Calm your Cravings, Master your Diet, Look and Feel Great (on the Bible App)