Week 2-Discussion of Homework

A Sweet Smelling Aroma

Remember Jean’s unwanted house guest, well-hidden in the walls, but certainly not forgotten because of its awful smell? Well, I don’t know about you, but I don't want to stink!! My heart’s desire is to be that sweet smelling aroma to my Savior, to my family and to my friends. I want to create a living legacy that lasts well beyond my life and even the life of my children; one that lasts to my children’s children and beyond.

But how do we do this? Jean pointed out some important truths that really stood out to me this week. To begin, we learned that staying passionately in love with Christ requires discipline—discipline to spend time in His Word, to become intimate with Him. That “discipline rooted in devotion will produce a stable walk with God” (p.55). Discipline is active. As Proverbs 12:1 and 23:12 point out, we must LOVE discipline in order to learn, we must COMMIT ourselves to instruction and we must ATTUNE our ears to hear knowledge—all active verbs!

We must also actively walk in faith instead of fear. We were reminded that God does not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and discipline (II Tim. 1:7). I really felt challenged this week to operate in faith instead of fear. I want to choose to “walk in obedience to the Word of God and dependence upon the Spirit of God” (p.54).

More than anything this week, Jean’s challenge in the homework and also in her video to be intentional and to be purposeful really stood out to me. I should say convicted me because I really saw areas in my life where I was not being intentional, especially in my role as mother. Some of my favorite verses in this regard remind me to:

“Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. ” Ephesians 5:16-17

“Redeem the time.” Colossians 4:5

One of the ways we can do this as a mother is to pray for our children. Did you catch it in the video? Our prayers are ETERNAL. They are held in golden bowls in heaven, ignited as incense to our Father (Rev.. 5:8 & 8:3,4). Let’s make time for concentrated prayer time!
I have my prayer time early in the morning (the only time the house is quiet!) And a prayer journal is my way of staying focused. I simply write out my prayers along with the scriptures I am praying for any given person or situation. It may sound inefficient, but it helps me to look back and see how faithful the Lord is, and it also helps me with my scripture memory as I write out those verses. However, you do it, just do it! Let’s be intentional, purposeful, concentrated.

I love the verses in 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 where Paul says he doesn’t just run to participate, he runs to WIN! Oh, how that has spoken to me this week! We aren’t to just sit back and enjoy the ride. We are to be disciplined, operating in faith and intentional in all that we do and say. Jesus tells us we can do all things through Him, so let’s run this race to win it!!

***Take a minute, leave a comment and tell us what the Lord has shown you through this week's lesson. I have no doubt he is speaking and ministering to you as He has been to me!