Living life with steps of faith

Palm Sunday, I started a new devotional that follows the church calendar titled "A Guide to Prayer." Actually, I have read through, studied, and meditated on the weeks leading up to Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday several times since I was given the ministry devotional in 2000, but this year because of my new job at a Methodist church and a personal desire, I think I may continue the devotional even past holy week. Last night, my heart's cry prayer was for nothing to ever come between Jesus/God and me. For no one or nothing to take His place as first in my heart and as the most important relationship in my life. As I read today's devotional, the words of Henri Nouwen from "A Cry for Mercy" radiated with my heart's cry, "help me become a trusting friend," "Let me be reborn in you and see through you the world in the right way, so that all my actions, words, and thoughts can become a hymn of praise to you," and "Why do I keep rela...

I was reading the story of the Lord's last supper with his disciples, as recorded in Mark 14 tonight, and I was reminded of the faithfulness of the man who hosted the dinner. Jesus instructs his disciples to go into the city, follow the man carrying water, and greet the owner of the house with the words "The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" Jesus knew that there would be a specific man carrying a jar of water who had a specific destination. The Lord knew that the owner of a home would have a room prepared for them and would know how to respond to the instructions, "The teacher asks" and the words "my guest room." As I read this story, I wondered what conversation occurred between the owner of the house and God prior to the arrival of the man carrying water and Jesus' disciples. Had God instructed this man to set up a table specifically for Jesus. What did that conversation look like? Owner: ho h...