Looking beyond ∙

Looking beyond ∙

Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. – 2 Kings 6:17

2 Kings 6:15-17

 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the following day and went outside, troops, horses, and chariots were everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.

 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”

 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Laurel and Hardy, legendary icons of the golden age of American cinema, carved out a unique niche as one of Hollywood’s most beloved comedy duos during its early years. The lanky Stan Laurel and his stout, rotund counterpart Oliver Hardy became household names from the late 1920s through the mid-1940s, endearing themselves to audiences with their hilarious and charming performances.

Their on-screen adventures consistently plunged them into an array of predicaments with unforeseen outcomes. Oliver Hardy, often portrayed as the more responsible and authoritative figure, would frequently find himself exasperated by Stan Laurel’s innocent yet bungling antics. This led to one of the most memorable catchphrases in film history: “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into.” Delivered with Oliver’s trademark look of dismay and a pouty expression, this line became synonymous with the duo’s comedic style, making appearances in over 15 of their films.

Beyond their slapstick humor and perfectly timed gags, Laurel and Hardy’s enduring appeal lay in the chemistry and camaraderie between them. Their ability to evoke laughter through simple, relatable scenarios, combined with impeccable comedic timing, turned their films into timeless classics. Audiences of all ages could identify with their charming misadventures, ensuring that their legacy would continue to thrive long after their final curtain call.

Children of the King frequently encounter challenging predicaments due to their own choices. Life is filled with uncertainty, which raises a pivotal question: How do we make the best decisions? The Father has given us minds capable of observation, calculation, and logical reasoning to navigate through life’s complexities.

In the kingdom of the Father, there is much more. Sometimes, clarity doesn’t come from hard work and perspiration but rather from divine inspiration. The children of the King are guided more by faith than by sight. Human sight is limited to the physical world that can be seen and observed. However, there are unseen realities that are not visible to the human eye.

Elisha and his servant found themselves in a difficult situation. They were surrounded by enemies who intended to harm them. Humanly speaking, they were defenseless and had no earthly means to resist. However, Elisha knew something that his servant did not. He could see beyond what was visible and could see the unseen. Elisha was aware that the Father had sent an army of angels to protect him and his servant. This angelic army came with the power and authority of the commander of Heaven’s army. In the face of Heaven’s army, the Syrian forces were impotent.

Elisha, the prophet, was a seer. He could see angels, and he was fearless because he saw with the eyes of faith. The angels were more than a match for the Syrian army. Elisha wanted his fearful servant to be able to see as he did, so he prayed that the eyes of his servant would be opened to see the unseen.

2 Kings 6:17 Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes, and him see!”

A whole new reality opened for his servant, one that can only be seen by the eyes of faith. The angelic armies had been there all along, yet they remained cloaked to the ordinary human eyes. Much remains invisible and thus hidden to those who do not look with eyes of faith.

“Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees” (Stanley).

REFLECT & PRAY

The limitations of our physical eyes restrict our natural vision here on Earth. However, our spiritual vision knows no bounds. It enables the eyes of our hearts to open and see the unseen.

Father, I often don’t know what to do. I am limited by my human resources. Help me learn to tap into Your resources and walk by faith, not by sight alone.

INSIGHT

Elisha was a servant leader and a man of faith. He routinely saw the unseen, things that were hidden from others. This extraordinary ability had landed him in the precarious situation of being encircled by adversaries. Aram, the king of Syria, was at war with Israel. He had drawn up secret plans for attack. Time and again, his covert strategies were foiled. His plans were thwarted. He was furious and decided there must be a spy within his ranks that was betraying him.

There was a spy, all right. But that spy was Elisha.

2 Kings 6:12 Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!

Elisha had prophetic insight. He could see the unseen and discern what was hidden from others. Geographical distance and palace walls were not obstacles to him.

A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way (John C. Maxwell). A leader can translate vision into reality, faith into substance, and hope into conviction. While a boss issues orders. A true leader guides.

A leader is optimistic and upbeat. They radiate confidence and resilience. Challenges are not overlooked nor ignored; they are addressed and surmounted. Ultimately, a leader is defined by optimism, courage, foresight, planning, and implementation.

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been” (Henry Kissinger).

2 Corinthians 4:18 We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul’s unwavering trust and confidence in the Father’s promise and power rips away the veil of limited physical sight. The chasm between the visible and invisible, the temporary and the eternal, is seamlessly bridged by the lens of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 We walk by faith, not by sight

“If we think only of the things that are visible, we are bound to see life that way. But there is another way. The writer to the Hebrews said of Moses: ‘He persevered as though he saw him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:27)” (Barclay).

Supernatural sight, that is, seeing the invisible, comes through faith in the One who is Himself invisible. It is a paradox. It cannot be validated through scientific experimentation.

Ephesians 1:18 I pray that eyes of your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called.

What do you see, enemies or the angels of Heaven’s army?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 7-14-1

© Dr. H 2024

I’m constantly losing stuff ∙

I’m constantly losing stuff ∙

The Son of Man has come to seek and save what was lost. – Luke 19:10

Luke 15:4-6

 4 If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?

 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.

 6 When he arrives, he will call his friends and neighbors together, saying, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.”

The story is told of a lady in her 30s wearing a lanyard around her neck, holding her cell phone, and a small sign reading, “I’m a loser.” She used the lanyard to ensure she wouldn’t misplace her cell phone. We often find ourselves misplacing or losing items like car keys, credit card holders, cell phones, and clothing items such as hats and coats. However, in our modern tech-driven world, there is an answer.

Welcome to the realm of 21st-century digital trackers. Two of the most popular are Air Tags and Life360 Tile. These small, thin tiles act as trackers for objects with a knack for running off and hiding from us. They can be affixed to or discreetly placed on items like cell phones, keys, credit card holders, purses, or even loved ones and pets. Powered by batteries, they emit signals. To locate the missing items tagged with an heir tile our life 360 tile, you can simply enlist Alexa, Google, a computer, a tablet, or a cell phone.

In a similar way, the Father uses a celestial tracking system of His own intelligent design. In the timeless expanse of eternity, He affectionately and meticulously named and tagged each of His sheep before they were ever born. He intimately knows each one, with an identity crafted through His intelligent design, ensuring they are never lost to the vastness of time or space.

Isaiah 49:16 See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

This evident anthropomorphism vividly portrays that the Father is intimately acquainted with our names, having metaphorically “inscribed” them onto the palms of His hands. This graphic imagery is intentionally powerful, designed to demonstrate that the Father will never forget us.

We are all born into this life as lost sheep. The Good Shepherd seeks His own until they are found, and He calls them to Himself.

A shepherd will go to great lengths to locate, nurture, and protect his flock. In the first century A.D. context, each shepherd possessed a distinct call that only his own sheep recognized. Upon hearing this call, his sheep would instinctively come to their shepherd. Other sheep would not.

In times when shepherds needed to enter towns or villages, they would gather their sheep in a communal enclosure alongside other flocks. To reclaim his own sheep from this mixed assembly, the shepherd merely needed to utter his unique call. Only his sheep would come forward to him while the rest remained amidst the larger flock.

John 10:2-5

 2 The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.

 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

This is the back story of a remarkable and beautiful promise made by the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 10:27-29

 27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,  

 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.  

What is the call of the Good Shepherd? It is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. When His sheep hear this message, it has a life-changing impact. It transforms their very being. It echoes deeply within their hearts, urging them to respond to His call. Ultimately, they come to Him and receive the precious gift of eternal life.

It is a profound comfort to know and remember that, due to the Father’s immense love for us, the Lord Jesus Christ never ceases His search until we are found. He will relentlessly pursue us until we are safely in His embrace.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father and the Son will always seek those that belong to them until they are found.

Father, I readily acknowledge that once I was lost, I was a very lost sheep. One day, I heard Your voice calling me and came to You. But sadly, even now, I tend to wander off. And repeatedly, You come looking for me, swoop me up in Your loving arms, and bring me home.

INSIGHT

When the Father created sheep, it might have been shortly after He fashioned owls. Perhaps the wisdom barrel was somewhat depleted by then. Evidently, sheep got the leftovers. Nevertheless, contemporary research questions this notion. In most cases, those responsible for the well-being of sheep discover that they are “not just stupid but mind-numbingly stupid.”

Even though we have come to the Good Shepherd and have been given eternal life as our present possession, never to be lost, we still have the temperament of sheep. We tend to stray and wander off. In the words of Robert Robinson:

Come, thou Fount of every blessing.

O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!

Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

Isaiah 53:6 All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path,

We are continuously in desperate need of a shepherd to care for us, protect us, and find us when we lose our way. The Lord is our good Shepherd. We can be confident that He will come looking for us when we stray. When He finds us, He is delighted and joyful. He tells everyone, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!” (Luke 15:6)

Every time the Father finds us, He offers us a fresh start. He provides a new beginning and an opportunity to distance ourselves from the past, embrace new possibilities, and be renewed and transformed.

Many would say that the best part of the journey is not the places we go and see but instead returning home. There is a poignant, pleasant joy when we return to where we belong: home.

For the children of the King, heaven is our permanent home. Although we have never been there, we know He has prepared a place for us. It is a place of joy, delight, and ultimate security. It is a happy place. It is the ultimate safe place. And we will dwell there forever, with our loving Shepherd King.

Are you still wondering about wandering?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 6-21-1

© Dr. H 2024

Junk food ∙

Junk food ∙

Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. – Isaiah 55:2

1 Peter 2:2-3

 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,

 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

The American diet frequently includes unhealthy foods that are high in calories from sugar or fat but lack essential dietary nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. These foods are commonly known as junk food or HFSS (high in fat, salt, and sugar) foods.

The term “junk food” lacks a clear and consistent definition and has changed over time. Generally, it refers to heavily processed food products. However, even protein-rich foods like meat or fish cooked with saturated fat can be considered junk food. Fast food and fast-food restaurants are often seen as the poster child for junk food.

The increase in junk food consumption is linked to various health concerns, such as a higher risk of obesity and diabetes. Other potential adverse effects include difficulties with memory and learning and increased rates of depression. To combat these issues, several public health awareness campaigns have been initiated, and advertising restrictions have been put in place as part of a national effort to improve the health of Americans.

Regrettably, spiritual junk food has also gained traction in our society. This “food” is comprised of superficial teachings and practices that don’t nourish the soul or foster genuine spiritual growth. Many people underestimate the perils of spiritual junk food and consume it mindlessly, oblivious to its harmful effects on their spiritual well-being. Just as physical junk food can damage the body, spiritual junk food can undermine the bedrock of one’s faith, leaving individuals spiritually malnourished, superficial, and ill-prepared to confront life’s trials.

Consuming spiritual junk food has become widely accepted and normalized. This trend can lead to a diluted faith that is more about convenience and superficial observance and less about true devotion. To address this issue, the children of the King must be discerning about the spiritual content they consume. We are to seek out enriching, substantive content that promotes genuine spiritual growth, renewal, and transformation. We should cultivate a robust and meaningful faith that stands the test of time.

“It is no secret that Christ’s Church is not at all in good health in many places of the world. She has been languishing because she has been fed, as the current line has it, ‘junk food;’ all kinds of artificial preservatives and all sorts of unnatural substitutes have been served up to her” (Walter Kaiser).

As a result, Kaiser notes that biblical and theological malnutrition has “afflicted the very generation that has taken such giant steps to make sure its physical health is not damaged by using foods or products that are carcinogenic or otherwise harmful to their bodies.” How ironic!

We often invest in food that doesn’t nourish us or enhance our well-being. Similarly, our spiritual diet can lack spiritual nourishment and substance.

Indulging in spiritual junk food diminishes our strength and leaves us spiritually flabby. Our hearts and souls become malnourished, fostering apathy and lethargy. We grow spiritually dull. We are capable of hearing, yet we do not seem to really listen and are unable to digest solid spiritual food.

Hebrews 5:11-14

 11 . . . And you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who, through training, have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

Just as there is a typical pattern for early childhood development, there is a regular pattern for spiritual development and growth. The children of the King to whom the Book of Hebrews was written were suffering from a tragic case of arrested development. “As a result, they were now ‘dull of hearing;’ that is, unable to listen to the Word, receive it, and act on it” (Wiersbe).

Because their spiritual diet was inadequate, they became spiritually emaciated and unable to progress toward maturity. Despite the passage of time, they never moved beyond the basics. Just as muscles require regular exercise to remain strong, flexible, and functional, our spirits need consistent exercise. Without it, muscles atrophy and lose tone, and the body weakens. Similarly, when our spirits lack adequate exercise, they become feeble and frail.

Moreover, there is additional collateral damage. Although they had been believers for some time, they had regressed in their spiritual growth, functioning at the level of spiritual infants. They had slipped back and forgotten what they had initially learned. They couldn’t receive and digest solid spiritual food and had to revert to milk. Instead of being able to teach the truths of the Word of God to others, they needed others who were mature to reteach them the basics about Christ.

REFLECT & PRAY

The milk of the Word is not solely reserved for spiritual infants. Every child of the King, regardless of their age or maturity in faith, should yearn for the Word of God with the same fervor that an infant cries for its mother’s milk. It is essential for growth and vitality in our walk with the Father.

Father, I pray that I will continually crave the pure milk of Your Word and settle for nothing less.

INSIGHT

Consuming spiritual junk food adversely affects nearly everyone who indulges in it.

The goal is to become mighty in our spirits. When the Father wants to prepare the children of the King for His assignments for them to carry out on earth, He puts them in the wilderness. There, they grow strong in their spirits.

Luke 1:80 John kept growing and becoming strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

The wilderness experience is like a boot camp for children of the King. It is a place for testing and preparation until we are trained, equipped, and prepared to serve Him. At the appointed time, when ready, we are released to serve.

In order to make positive changes, we need to raise the bar and elevate our standards. This begins by becoming more discerning regarding the quality of the spiritual content we consume, seeking genuine spiritual nourishment. Each of us can choose to reject spiritual junk food and strive for excellence. We seek out, find, and take in pure, spiritually nutritious milk of the Word of God. Over time, we develop not merely a taste but a strong desire for this enriching food for our souls.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk.

How is your spiritual diet working for you?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 3-28-1

© Dr. H 2024

Do you feel lucky? ∙∙

Do you feel lucky? ∙∙

Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand and death and disaster on the other.- Deuteronomy 30:15

Deuteronomy 30:15-19

 15 Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.
16 For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
17 But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods,
18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
19 Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Released in 1971, the film “Dirty Harry” achieved critical acclaim and commercial success. Its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance was so profound that the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2012. This iconic movie not only left a lasting impact but also pioneered a new genre of police film.

Clint Eastwood’s portrayal of Inspector Dirty Harry Callahan, working in the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), is a masterclass in building tension. As Dirty   Harry confronts the robbers during a bank robbery, the audience is kept on the edge of their seats. The scene reaches its peak when the third robber surrenders, intimidated by Dirty Harry’s memorable ultimatum:

“I know what you’re thinking: ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kind of lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’

Well, do you, punk?’”

Every day, we are faced with a myriad of decisions, each shaping the tapestry of our lives in subtle or profound ways. These choices can be as trivial as deciding whether to wear a blue or red shirt or as impactful as determining how we allocate our free time. We might choose to immerse ourselves in a captivating book, binge-watch the latest TV series, or engage in physical exercise.

The media we consume also represents a significant aspect of our daily choices. Whether we absorb news from digital platforms, listen to podcasts, or scroll through social media, these decisions influence our perspectives and inform our understanding of the world around us. Additionally, our dietary preferences—be it opting for a quick snack, preparing a home-cooked meal, or dining out at a favorite restaurant—not only reflect our individual tastes but also impact our health and lifestyle.

At the core of these decisions is the inherent freedom we possess to make choices that align with our personal values and desires. While some options, such as selecting an outfit, may seem inconsequential, others hold greater weight and contribute significantly to our overall quality of life and sense of fulfillment. At the same time, some are momentous and life-changing with eternal consequences.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But not everyone has a right to their own Truth (Lutzer).

Ultimately, from the Father’s perspective, choices are black or white, good or evil, wise or foolish.

REFLECT & PRAY

“We almost always have choices, and the better the choice, the more we will be in control of our lives” (William Glasser).

Father, in my lifetime, I have made so many poor choices. Thank You that You are my counselor. Encourage me to make better choices, the right choices, and the best possible choices.

INSIGHT

In the Ancient Near East, during the time of Moses, when treaties were made and contracts were made, people invoked witnesses to their ratification. Often, the witnesses were their gods. This practice persists in the modern American justice system, where individuals are asked to “swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”

In the Book of Deuteronomy, we see a profound moment where the Father stands as a partner in the Mosaic Covenant. In this sacred pact, He is bound by His own divine authority, for there exists no higher power to invoke as a witness. Consequently, the Father calls heaven and earth to serve as His witnesses.

Pause for a moment and reflect on the fact that our outcomes are determined by the choices we make. How can we achieve our desires when we feel dissatisfied and frustrated with our current situation? Recognizing that achieving our true desires involves making better choices is essential.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

The smart move is to gather as much helpful information as possible. We have access to the revealed truth of the Word of God. Seeking knowledgeable and wise counselors can empower us to make well-informed decisions, leading to the best possible outcomes.

Proverbs 15:22 Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance, people fall, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety in having many advisers.

Proverbs 12:15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

In His image, the Father created us, endowing us with minds to think, hearts to feel, and a will to make choices. The Father urges us to make righteous decisions. We are not mere robots; instead, we can hear God’s Word, learn God’s will, and decide to obey or disobey (Wiersbe).

Making decisions, in itself, is not a difficult task, but making the correct choices is an entirely different matter. What are the consequences of our actions?

The Father has presented the most crucial choices in clear and straightforward terms, making them easy to comprehend. Life and goodness lie on one side, while death and evil loom on the other. Who really wants to choose death? Perhaps only the desperate, the despondent, and the depressed might consider such a choice.

Just to be clear, what are the choices? Choosing to love and obey the Father leads to life and goodness while rejecting the Father results in death and evil.

Do you feel lucky?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 6-2-1

© Dr. H 2024

Be excellent ∙∙

Be excellent ∙∙

God has given us everything we need to live a godly life through his divine power. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself using his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. – 2 Peter 1:3-4

Philippians 1:6-10

 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart . . ..

 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

What is excellence? Excellence is a distinctive talent or quality that is exceptionally good and exceeds ordinary standards. “Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way” (Booker T. Washington).

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well” (Martin Luther King Jr.).

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are adopted by the Father into His Forever Family. Regardless of our past, we are forgiven and cleansed. We embark on a new life journey, striving to know our new Father and endeavoring to please and honor Him with our lives.

As children of the King, it is our highest calling to strive for excellence in all that we do. This is because our Father, the King, exemplifies excellence in every aspect of His being and actions. His very essence and character are defined by excellence. The pursuit of excellence should be the standard for us, His children.

Psalms 150:2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

We are to praise Him according to His excellent greatness (Psalms 150:2). His excellent greatness is the why of our praise and worship. The phrase excellent greatness could be translated as unequaled greatness, surpassing greatness, or absolute greatness. No one is so magnificent, so wonderful as the Father (John G. Butler)

The Hebrew word translated as excellent is rov. It means plentiful, abundant, much, many, great. It is a term of superlative magnitude. Our motivation as children of the King is to follow after HHHHim and aspire to superlative excellence.

The Father is unwavering in finishing what he starts. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Father commences the process of sanctification. Our goal should be nothing short of superlative excellence, as mediocrity is not an acceptable standard.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father graciously sets us on a fresh journey. Our past mistakes no longer burden us. Instead, we are encouraged to anticipate the good we will do in the future. The Father has initiated a good work in us, and He will continue it from now on.

Father, I aspire to establish new objectives. I don’t want to merely scrape by. My ambition is to achieve excellence. I recognize my knowledge is like that of a small child, partial and incomplete. Please encourage and empower me to grow up and develop broad, in-depth, mature knowledge and discernment that come only from You.

INSIGHT

How do we achieve excellence? In the words of Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” Habits are not inherited; instead, they are developed and nurtured over time.

There are essential habits that can help us get there. These habits are common among those who achieve excellence.

Have a goal or vision to fulfill

They have a clearly defined endgame in mind. Without an end goal, they could not achieve it.

Identify what you love

When we do what we love, we have deep energy reserves to tap into daily. The hunger to excel is heightened when you do something you love.

Work harder than anyone else

Extra effort builds discipline and resilience, valuable traits for both work and personal life. It develops persistence, helping you overcome challenges and stay focused on your goals.

Make use of every moment

Every moment counts; therefore, they deploy effective time management strategies.

Work to attain desired results

The only real limit they face is themselves.

Relentlessly upgrade and improve yourself

There is always something that can be improved and done better. Learning never stops.

People who strive for excellence continuously read and learn. They expose themselves to new knowledge, perspectives, ideas, people, skills, and contexts.

Continually ask for feedback and critiques

Blind spots lurk within each of us. We cannot improve what we are unaware of.

Strive to be the best at what you do.

They try to provide the best value and quality possible. Aiming to just get by is not enough.

In your pursuit of excellence, regularly assess your progress by objectively performing self-checks. Be ready to start over when necessary and acquire the knowledge and insight you need.

“We will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence” (Vince Lombardi).

Time to get to work.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 7-29-1

© Dr. H 2024