Before heading off into your weekend, here are three things that I have read and been thinking about this week. Hope they are as helpful to you as they have been for me.
Have a great weekend!
#1
These are the times in life — when nothing happens — but in quietness the soul expands.
Wilderness by Rockwell Kent
Having been under the weather for the past week I am going stir crazy. So much is piling up on my plate without the appetite (ie. Energy or focus) to tackle it. It has been helpful to realize that God is at work “when nothing happens” except for quietness. Contraction for future expansion. A deep breath in restoring the oxygen levels for the days ahead.
#2
Listening to God is the necessary prelude to intercession. The work of intercession, sometimes called the prayer of faith, pre-supposes that the prayer of guidance is perpetually ascending to the Father. We must hear, know, and obey the will of God before we pray it into the lives of others.
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
I often get asked how to pray for others. Not so much the technique but the content is questioned. Do I pray for healing for someone who has struggled for years? Do I pray for them to get that new job that will necessitate a move? And many other examples.
Foster has a helpful answer. Knowing what to pray is dependent on hearing, knowing, being obedient to the will of God. Jesus rarely prayed “thy will be done.” Instead, he knew the will of the Father and prayed specifically for results. But that was possible only because of his close relationship with the Father. Therefore, draw close to God and trust that he will put the prayers in your heart and on your lips. He will give you the right words for the right time.
#3
To give a person your time is a supreme act of love — for, as Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “when you love someone, the best thing you can offer that person is your presence.”
The Marginalian by Maria Popova
This quote is from one of the weekly emails I have been receiving for a while. Ms. Popova is not only a wonderful content curator but an insightful accomplice of the material.
Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. That is a word of wisdom from a pastor that I have found helpful. I, for one, get overwhelmed by all of the places and the people and the projects that I need to be a presence with. Rather than do something, anything, I find myself overwhelmed and often do nothing.
What is right in front of to you? Who is right in front of you? Start there by offering your presence.
todd nelson 
One response to “top3 for February 9, 2024”
Todd, thank you for sharing these thoughts. I’ve missed you at church and I pray that healing is happening, even though it may be slower than you want. God has perhaps given you a gift in your illness. After all, He said “Be still and know that I am God.” With all the busyness, He helped you to be still.