The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Being Prepared" with Scripture: Psalm 119:97-106

The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Being Prepared" with Scripture: Psalm 119:מ (Mem)
97 How I love your Torah!
I meditate on it all day.
98 I am wiser than my foes,
because your mitzvot are mine forever.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
because I meditate on your instruction.
100 I understand more than my elders,
because I keep your precepts.
101 I keep my feet from every evil way,
in order to observe your word.
102 I don’t turn away from your rulings,
because you have instructed me.
103 How sweet to my tongue is your promise,
truly sweeter than honey in my mouth!
104 From your precepts I gain understanding;
this is why I hate every false way.
נ (Nun)
105 Your word is a lamp for my foot
and light on my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
that I will observe your righteous rulings.
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.[Psalm 119:114 (NIV)]
What began as an ordinary meal with a friend changed the instant Laura began choking on her dinner. Sitting across the table, Elin knew she had only seconds to respond. Jumping to her feet and praying, “Lord, let this work,” she wrapped her arms around Laura and began applying the Heimlich maneuver. Three abdominal thrusts later, the food dislodged from Laura’s throat. Elin’s experience demonstrated the benefit of preparation. In that moment, a technique she learned many years ago and had never before needed help to save her friend’s life.
I’ve noticed the same principle at work in my spiritual life. Biblical truths I learned long ago become essential in today’s times of crisis. Passages that seemed boring suddenly come to life when I’m faced with a similar circumstance. If I hadn’t taken the time to learn those truths, the wisdom wouldn’t have been within me when I needed it.
Experiences such as Elin’s motivate me to engage in regular Bible study with others. Then, in the midst of a trial, the Spirit brings to mind what I’ve learned and provides the help I need. Just as Elin had to learn the Heimlich maneuver to be prepared for a moment of crisis, I need to prepare so that I can face whatever potentially destructive circumstances enter my life.
Read more from the author, here."Small Things"

I should have known better. But I grabbed the big carton of merchandise anyway and began to lift it—aiming for the top shelf. The result was not pretty. As I raised it over my head, my muscles gave out and the box crashed to the floor. In retrospect, taking the items out of the box and placing them on the shelf one-by-one would have worked much better.
Why do I attempt things that require resources I currently don’t have? I often do so because I want to get to the end result more quickly. That day, my goal was to move the merchandise as quickly as possible so I could move on to other things. However, while having goals can help me make progress, I’ve noticed that if the goal is too big, it can hurt instead of help.
This is especially true when it comes to making spiritual progress. I want to know what the Bible says about living a holy life and loving others. I want to read, study, and obey it. I want to memorize and meditate on it. However, if my reading and studying goals require more time than I have available, I might avoid the process altogether. And when avoidance becomes the habit, the growth stops and my spiritual life suffers.
What’s the solution? I think it’s found in the singular beauty of small things. I’ve discovered that rather than failing at the big things I can’t do, if I focus on the small things I can do, I grow.
For example, rather than setting a goal of studying the Bible for one hour each day, I set a time each day to read it and do so for as many minutes as I have. Some days all I can manage are a few verses. Other days I have time to study a passage in depth. By allowing myself the flexibility to do what fits in the time I have, I am less likely to miss a day because I have only a few minutes to spend.
I’ve also reaped the benefits of meditating on small passages of scripture. Rather than rushing through several chapters each day in my quest to read through the Bible in a year (which is a worthy goal), I’ve noticed that if I read a smaller portion and then meditate on that small passage throughout the day, the words sink into my soul and make a difference in how I live.
So, just like taking the items out of the box one-by-one would have eventually accomplished the same goal of moving the merchandise to the top shelf, allowing myself to partake of smaller portions of God’s word allows me to continue to grow little-by-little each day. I don’t have to live under the weight of too-big goals that come crashing down around me. Instead, I can embrace smaller goals that allow me to experience gradual and sustainable spiritual growth.[Lynn Karidis]
The Author: Lynn Karidis (Michigan, USA)
Thought for the Day: God’s word provides tools for living.
Prayer: Dear Father, help us to faithfully read your word daily so we will be prepared for the trials life brings. Amen.
Prayer focus: Bible study participants---------------------