FAITH FLOOR

Getting out of bed is rough! This morning I thought it was Saturday, but no, it is Thursday. I had to reset my sights quickly, with intention, and it really did matter.
 
If I did not plug into Thursday, my 5 kids would not be woken up, nor my wife; and 2 employers and 5 school-kid schedules would have been in disarray. But getting up hurts every morning, every day!
 
I have to plug in my faith every morning, every day, and it hurts, too. It grates against my mind, my reason.
 
Often, before I even open my eyes, I recite to myself Psalm 73:25-26, and other verses like Psalm 36:9, Psalm 27:4 and Job 19:25-27. I do this because I know it is true. I have similar disciplines in my mind and heart to stay true in my marriage, honorable online, disciplined in exercise.
 
These straight lines are hard to walk, and often take much self-talk, reminders and support from others.
 
It amazes me and comforts me that Jesus called for faith. Jesus himself had to work to see (Mark 8:22-26), and to hear (Mark 7:37), and told us we would be the same. (Isaiah 6:9)
 
Paul 'strained ahead' (Phil 3:12-14), and we are told to 'fight' and 'strive'. (1 Tim 6:12; Heb 4:11) The prophet 'longs' and 'yearns' to see (Isaiah 26:9), and Paul tells us to 'fix our eyes, not on what is seen...' (2 Cor 4:18) This 'narrow path', as Jesus said, is the one that is hard to walk but leads to life. The broad and easy road, the one that comes naturally to human nature, is the one that 'many take' and 'leads to death'. (Matthew 7:13-14)