Corona Devo 1664

I hit the mark on some things yesterday.

Yesterday I delivered birthday wishes and treats to a good friend early in the morning.  

Yesterday I wrote and sent five cards to encourage people.

Yesterday I prayed with a woman I've never met before when she told me over the phone that she has brain cancer for the second time, and that she received bad news about its progression this week.

But yesterday I missed the mark on more things than I made a mark on.

Yesterday I ran a red light.  I was at a complete stop, waiting, and then I watched another vehicle turn (legally) right on red, and I then (for some distracted reason) proceeded to proceed illegally through the red light that I was waiting at.  

Yesterday I took the wrong freeway and got lost while on a trip-course that I have taken hundreds of times before.  I know the route, but I freaked out that I had taken the wrong freeway, and then I did take the wrong freeway.  I was fifteen minutes late to my dentist appointment, which is irresponsible on my part and caused others to be negatively affected.   

Yesterday I forgot a student at school that I was supposed to take home from school.  I told her mom that I would take her kid home, and then the kid didn't end up coming home with us!  Yes, there were a couple miscommunications: some mine and some not-mine (and the student ended up home safe and sound), but I forgot her, or forgot to "find" her at pick-up time.

Yes--yesterday I missed the mark on more things than I made a mark on. 

...You know who never misses His mark?  Jesus.

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. (16) But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.  ~Luke 5:15-16

The news about him spread all the more...

The news about Him healing.  The news about His teachings.  The news about His forgiveness.  

Jesus Christ absolutely hits the mark on every interaction He has ever had or will have with others.  He never misses His mark, but guess what?  Even in the midst of (literally) doing everything right, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16).

Jesus knew that His power and His ability to hit-the-mark was directly connected to His connection with His Father.  Prayer.

Are we making-the-mark or missing it today?  

Are we taking wrong routes and running red lights today, or are we taking direction from God and withdrawing to lonely places and praying to Him?

Talking to Him.  Listening to Him.  Being led by Him?

And even if we are making the mark, and even if the news about us is spreading all the more, concerning our successes or ministries...are we withdrawing to lonely places and praying to Him?

We need to be (withdrawing to lonely places and praying to Him).

We must be (withdrawing to lonely places and praying to Him).  

Jesus knew that.  

But we know that too.  

The difference (often) is that Jesus did withdraw to lonely places and pray.  But..are we?

~~~

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 

(40) But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”  

(41) And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (42) But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”  ~Luke 10:38-42

~~~

Martha was distracted with much serving...

I hit the mark on some things yesterday.: I delivered birthday wishes and treats, I wrote and sent cards, I prayed with a woman...

But even in these "good" things, I was distracted with much serving.  Distracted from God, and thus distracted from my daily routines with Him and even distracted from daily safety.

I missed the mark on many things, including running a red light, taking the wrong freeway, and forgetting to pick up a student after school.  

Jesus knew how to stay on target with hitting His marks and fulfilling His calling to the Lord: He purposed time and focus on meeting with His Father.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  ~Mark 1:35 

When do we spend time with God?  When do we pray?  

Very early in the morning?  

We don't have to share our answer out loud, but we do have to read from the Bible about the example that Jesus gave to us in how and when and with-how-many-others He prayed. 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  ~Mark 1:35 

~~~

I don't want to get lost in my travels again today.  I am mortified that I ran a red light in busy traffic yesterday.  And I pray that the mom of the student that I left at school will forgive me and entrust her daughter with me another day when they need help with a ride home.  

But I know that all of these missed-marks were a result of my distraction.  My lack of contentment with God (discontent), and at the root, I missed my marks because I had not hit my mark of spending time with and praying to God that day.  

Time with God (prayer) is a non-negotiable for the follower-of-Christ.  If we fail to commit to this, then we will miss our mark every time.  

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com