resilience | lent devotions

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” Matthew 22: 37-38, ESV

Living with two Newfoundland dogs is wonderful but occasionally challenging. They lie across doorways and don’t move to let you through. They sit on your feet to force you to scratch their backs. They have selective hearing. You let one in from the garden, you let the other out into the garden, you let one in, you let the other out... They never synchronise. Until, that is, the moment you are alone, walking them both on the lead, and they simultaneously spot deer in the field ahead. In an instant they change from steady plodding to launching their combined 148 kilos in a medal-winning sprint. You, of course, can’t hold them. I have spent a lot of time flat on my face as a result of trying.
 
But they are stubbornly loyal. They adore their people and - although they like, embrace, respect, and welcome others - they put you first and steadfastly refuse to be joined with or led by anyone else.

There is something about developing resilience, I think, that involves becoming stubbornly loyal to the Lord. We need to adore him. To put him first and steadfastly refuse to be joined with or led by anyone else but him.

Let’s pray
Father, thank you for your steadfast love and continued faithfulness. Thank you for your mercies which are new every morning. Thank you for holding on tight to me and refusing to let go. Help me, Lord, to honour you with my whole life by putting you first. You are my priority and I love you with all my heart, soul, and mind. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Want more? Order my new book Developing Kingdom Resilience here!