May I? Can I? – He Said
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Can I? May I? – He Said

“…Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”Matthew 6:10

In first grade we had a bathroom in our class. Why, I don’t know. I guess back then kids were navigationally challenged and teachers were afraid we couldn’t be trusted to walk down the hall without getting lost. In fact, David Ashworth once asked to be excused and never returned. I was glad. David was a mean boy.

Anyway, a few weeks into the school year I raised my hand and asked, “Can I go to the bathroom?”

As kids, especially kids in the first grade with fidgety bottoms, we asked to be excused a lot. But Mrs. Swartz said I could, so I got up and headed for the bathroom. I’d almost reached the lavatory sink when she said, “Eddie Jones where do you think you’re going? I didn’t give you permission to get up from your desk. Now sit back down.”

“But you said it was okay.”

“I said no such thing. You asked if you could go to the bathroom. I’m certain you can. I’ve watched you go before. But you may not at this time. Now sit!”

I learned that day there’s a big difference between what I can do and what I may do.

Each morning when I look up at the sky, I begin my devotional time by saying, “Lord, may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth… and in my life… as it is done in heaven.” I want to remind myself that God is in heaven and I’m on earth―that He is king and I am not. I know there’s a lot of trouble I can get into each day so, before I rush off to work, I want to find out from Him what’s permissible and what’s not.

This prayer also places me in a position of submission before Him. It is here, in the center of God’s will, that I learn to listen, love and obey my Father. Had Adam paid more attention to God’s voice and the details of His instructions, we might not be in the mess we’re in now. But if not Adam, then someone else. Probably someone like David Ashworth.

Speaking of messes, I made one myself that day. By the time Mrs. Swartz finally gave me permission to use the restroom, my bladder was moving faster than my fingers and before I could get my zipper down it was too late.

Don’t you be like me. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Invite Christ into your heart today. Ask God to allow His will to be done in your life. Pray for His kingdom’s provision.

And, if you see David Ashworth wandering the streets of your city, please send him back to Mrs. Swartz’s class. We miss him.

His Way – She Said
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“your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

I’m a seeker. Always asking questions, trying to understand, wondering and even wandering , too. I’m also a little stubborn—not my best attribute, but a part of me that at times works” for” and “against” me.

Through the years, I’ve found my love for seeking has gotten me in trouble. To me, there’s never a half-empty glass. It’s always half full. At the risk of being cliché, “Where there’s a will there’s a way” and most of the time my way is pretty good. It may not be the most conventional, but it generally gets me from point A to point B with little trouble.

Still there are the times when my mind is set on an idea and my way seems to be the only “right” way. Thus, I’ve turned my husband down a few roads off the interstate that led nowhere. And since I’m being honest, I’ve broken a few things by accident because I was sure I had the right way to fix them.

But one place I rarely wander as a seeker, is my way to God. I learned a long time ago that insisting on my way spiritually lead to nothing but disaster. I’ve sought after God’s kingdom , prayed for His will and bounced off the invisible wall label “NO” more times than I could count.

That’s when I ask questions. “I don’t get it God, I’ve asked over and over. And you said, ask and you’d provide. I don’t get it. Why are you ignoring?”

I feel Him nudge and whisper, “That’s your will, not mine. It has to be my will, Cin.”

Seeking God isn’t always as easy as the feel-good preachers say. Searching for God and His will can be very trying, and lonely. It can be heart- wrenching wondering if the steps I take are filled with discernment and wisdom or if I’m assuming my way is best

I’ve learned to ask God for His will and then let go and wait for His way. Praying for His presence to come—His kingdom to come and His will to be done means I have to concede, give up, and trust.

I’m a seeker, constantly praying, continually asking for God’s will in my life, then patiently watching. It isn’t easy but it’s always worth the end result. Walking within His will is peaceful and pleasing. Inside His will I never really want.

Won’t you seek His kingdom and will on earth as it is in the perfection of heaven?

Read Cindy’s devotions

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. Eddie and Cindy travel and speak at conferences across the country and they are available to speak at your church or conference. Contact them at cindy@christiandevotions.us.

 

 

 

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