Reset: Involve

If I want to go deeper in my relationship with my best friend and Savior, I must find a way to involve him in my day to day life – in the details. I have a friend who, when she went off to college, missed her boyfriend so much she wrote him a note every day. She would just write down her thoughts on and off throughout the day, and then send them all together as one letter about once a week.

I remember vividly her thoughts on this practice: “It just makes me feel closer to him. I feel like he is with me throughout each day.”

Isn’t this a perfect example of what we want with Jesus? At least I hope you want this. Jesus does for you. But how to do this?

Last week we began a look at adopting this practice: Outset – Reset.

At the outset of each day invite Jesus into your day. Invite him into the details of your day. In the morning take a look at your list of things to do and invite Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, into each meeting, each errand, each task.

This is a wonderful start to your day. And yet, what about the rest of the day? The “10:30’s on Tuesdays?” How to continue this invitation into and throughout the day?

I try to make a practice of Reset: Involve at various times throughout the day. I pause to reset my focus by purposely involving the Holy Spirit in my schedule. I have to purposely do this because I am no different than you. I get distracted. I get tunnel-vision and Self starts to take over.

When this happens I can feel my neck and shoulders tightening up. I can sense my focus becoming more and more myopic. I don’t like this, and I don’t want this. I don’t want Sam to take over – even with the best of intentions.

So I pause, I take a deep breath, and I reset my focus by again inviting Jesus and the Holy Spirit into whatever it is I am doing. By doing this I am following the teaching of Jesus:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matt. 7:24)

So I put into practice these encouraging words from Jesus:

Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly. (Matt. 11:28-30, The Message translation. See below is the NIV version[1])

“Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”

This is what I seek. This is what I crave. And so do you. I know this without necessarily having to know you.

By the way, my conversation and my invitation each morning begins with Jesus, yes, but I am learning to actually invite and ask for the Holy Spirit’s involvement. Jesus is my best friend, but the Holy Spirit is my power source. He leads me, He guides me, and He empowers me, just as Jesus promised he would. We call this Holy Spirit power: Energy – Clarity – Creativity.

I need this each day, and throughout each day. Don’t you?

Won’t you try this? Be purposeful and intentional about this, “Outset: Invite and Reset: Involve,” because … you will have to be. It will not come naturally. But the reward will be to change your day – and then to transform you.

[1] Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt. 11:28-30 NIV)