Practice
Yesterday, my study time and subsequent blog post was about fasting and mastering sin and selfish ego-driven desires. I was shown how in Scripture, this is most commonly seen using "light shining in the darkness" imagery, and how this is an ongoing process, with rhythms and structure, or a more common word--habits. I was also given the connection to the Hebrew idiom of the "evil eye" that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 6 and also of the practice of twice weekly fasts dictated in the Didache, which was the "instruction manual" of the early Christians during the first century.
I've mentioned before that I follow Nate Bramsen on social media. Yesterday, he shared a short video on a connection made with Jesus' words in Matthew 6:6 on the topic of prayer and the prophet's words found in Isaiah 26:20 and I took mental note of this so I could come back and dig in today because of the word he focused on.
But before I ended up here, I was meditating on yesterday's study and what it practically looks like to master sin. I went back to the word study tool I use and put in the Hebrew word mashal, again, and read-- dominion is fundamentally the imposition of ordered rhythm on chaotic mass. Which reminded me again of something related to the Didache and that's the practice of saying and meditating on the Lord's prayer three times a day. As I began my morning prayer, I was reminded again of Nate's video, and it struck me that his focus verse was found in the same chapter I referenced yesterday on light and darkness and the "evil eye" --Matthew 6. It's also before he gives them the Lord's Prayer.
"But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Nate goes on to point out the Greek word translated as room is tameion, which is also translated as storehouse in Luke 12:24.
"Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!"
Which brings me full circle to another post I've written in the middle of my grief, when I learned the connection between being broken and the Genesis story about the seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine and the provision found in the storehouses. (Make note that ravens were considered unclean, detestable, abominations Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14) (Also—for this post to make sense, you will need to actually read the post linked earlier).
Praying three times a day, is where I go for sustenance, for strength, for eyes to see, for the ability to impose God's wisdom over my own selfish desires.
I find it striking that whenever I go back and reread that post, I made note of my gratitude for the word "seconds" written on Patrick's death certificate.
I blog during my study, not for recognition, or for others, I don't even share these posts, but it helps me with comprehension, to type out what I'm learning. But I also don't write everything going on in my mind as I study because some of it is too personal, or isn't necessarily arrived at in the moments I'm sitting at my desk. Sometimes words are whispered in my ear when I'm just going about my day, away from my desk. Yesterday, for instance, as I was dragging my trashcan to the end of the driveway, and contemplating on the betrayal by Judas, as the basis for the fasting appointed for Wednesday, when the Spirit brought to mind John 13:27
“Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”I've heard the point made that when you read this carefully, you realize, Jesus is speaking to Satan, not Judas.
One of my foundations that I stand firmly on in the midst of the loss of my son, is that God allowed it. That may seem strange. But because I believe fully that God is good and works good, and has my best interest at heart, I can find peace in His sovereignty. I don't like it. It makes me angry. I have moments of deep hurt and anger and I'll never understand, this side of eternity. But I trust.
And yesterday the Spirit spoke to my heart, after I had been honest with God about my true feelings, that it's plausible those same words were spoken in the moments right before my son died. "Seconds"
I continued reading further in my earlier post on the Storehouse of God and again a connection was made to eyesight.
Psalm 69:3 says, "My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God" ... waiting and darkness of sight.
[Also, just because I find it so humorous, because of course, God! I just got through texting with my husband because I missed my eye appointment. Coincidence? LOL]
Wait. My #Oneword2025
The LORD goes before me. (Deuteronomy 31:8) Seeds were planted a year in advance.
And what else did my study time reveal while writing that post, but that light is found in gratitude and praise for the provision set aside for just the right time.
So, how do I practically mashal sin in my life? First, I must identify it as what is not favorable in God's sight. His sight is perfect, after all. In Him there is no darkkness (1 John 1:5) And then, multiple times throughout my day, I make it a practice, to go to my Father, I enter the storehouse where He has prepared a table for me to eat in the presence of the enemy (Psalm 23:3), and I come away reflecting some of His light, in order to push the darkness back for another day.
Surely there's also a connection to be made between the fact that most of us consume three meals a day. Or we typically think of eating that way: breakfast, lunch and dinner. And how the early Church believed they should pray three times a day.
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