Jan 9, 2026 – Lazy River
On Sunday, Church of the Highlands started their January season of “21 Days of Prayer (and fasting)”. The 6am service came earlier than my psyche was ready for this morning (especially because Don is out of town and his alarm didn’t buzz here at 5:50, neither did mine), but I did catch the last 15 minutes of prayer. Even after I was up and moving, though, I was really dragging and not very inspired with anything to share in the blog. But, after Don text’d saying that the message was really good, I pulled it up to watch and regained some energy because of Blake Lindsey’s enthusiasm over what he was sharing. During the 21 days, the messages are only available for 24 hours; but, after the 21 days, I believe the links are put up to watch all of the days. This link may get you at least to the website if not to today’s message: https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/media/3e685bd1-19c3-419f-a342-0ac26738ee01
“Seeking First God’s Kingdom” is the theme for these 21 days and today’s focus was “Seek First God’s Plans”. Blake started in Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you…” and made these three points:
*God can be trusted – He knows the plans
*God is good – He wants to prosper not harm you
*God is in control – you have a hope and a future
He read Ephesians 2:10 and explained that God has a plan for our lives (that may be, or likely is, different than the ones we have for ourselves), but the enemy does as well. Blake showed a photo of a lazy river, like ones many have enjoyed at water parks, to give a visual to his next point. He said the enemy has to scheme and work really hard to interrupt and mess up our lives, but that there’s an ease and a current to living in God’s plan for our lives. The idea of floating along a lazy river represents peace, rest, and refreshment as we align ourselves with God’s plan; and, if you’ve ever gotten out of the float on a lazy river, you know that it’s not very easy to walk against the current (nor against God’s plan for your life).
When Blake said, “Our best life is found when we live in alignment with God’s plans,” I wondered, as I often do, how we are supposed to know when the plans are His and not ours. Blake then gave me some clues as he took us to Acts 9 when Saul was heading to Damascus to persecute Christians and Christ met him along the way and confronted his plans and blinded him until he was changed (even his name from Saul to Paul) into a new believer.
In order to live according to God’s plan, Blake suggested saying these words to God:
*Lord, I want to see – (vs 17-18…”Immediately”) – some of us are living blind to God’s plans for our lives so we should pray to be able to see with clarity and conviction.
*Lord, I want to boldly respond – (vs 18b, 20… “At once”) – our destinations (daily plans and responsibilities) may not change but our purpose for being there will change.
*Lord, I want to change my world – (vs 31…”Strengthened”) – it’s time to pray big prayers.
Blake continued by asking what our lives would look like if Paul hadn’t responded and pointed out that we don’t have to know, because he did respond. He also asked what our lives would look like without God’s call on our lives and concluded, “God’s plan is the best way to live our lives.”
Prevail #9 – The title of Larson’s devotion today flows (haha) right into today’s theme and is entitled: “Perspective before the Breakthrough” as she reminds us about Joseph and how “God put a dream in his heart” when he was a young man, “Yet the journey getting there involved painful betrayal, injustice, and false accusation. God used heartbreak to prepare Joseph for greatness.”
This reminds me of the White and Faded book that I mentioned the other day which came in the mail yesterday. She said this book (and apparently her career in decorating) was born from “writing about my life experiences combined with the journey I went through while dealing with very low self-confidence after a life-changing experience that left me with the biggest question: Who am I, and what is my purpose?” She concluded her “note to the reader” page with, “I truly hope that this book will feed both your soul and your creativity, challenge you, and fill you with hope and joy. My prayer for you is that it will bless you, refresh you, and ultimately restore the beauty in your life and home. Much love, Janet.” I think what’s ahead for me on this cold, cloudy, rainy afternoon is reading this book in front of the fire with a cup of the mushroom coffee that just arrived on my doorstep – or maybe hot chocolate! I keep putting off this new mushroom taste experience. Maybe today is the day….
Larson continued pointing out that despite the obstacles Joseph faced, he “had found such joy and perspective that he could minister to others while he waited for his own breakthrough.” I can understand that. It’s tough to watch other peoples’ ideas and ministries launch while mine stagnate, but I want to be like Joseph and be used how God wants to use me. So, I wait. She shared, “My pastor used to say, ‘You’re not free to go until you’re free to stay.’ May you wrestle for a right perspective. May you see those who need what you possess. And may you believe, with all of your heart, that God will move you on when the time is right.” I believe….
Power – Joyce takes today’s devotion from Ezekiel 11:19 saying, “God has made us sensitive to His touch and wants to lead us to do things that are good for us, like spending time with Him, but He doesn’t want us to turn our devotional time into a law…. As soon as we view things as laws and rules, the joy is drained out of them and they are turned into works of the flesh. Let God lead you in your time spent with Him, and you will never get bored.”
Streams – Cowman shares a story “from a tract” about the person shortsightedly helping an emperor moth emerge from its cocoon when it appeared to be struggling and “never seemed to be able to get beyond a certain point.” The person assumed that, “The confining fibers were probably drier and less elastic” than was needed to facilitate the moth emerging on its own. “In any case, I thought I was wiser and more compassionate than its Maker, so I resolved to give it a helping hand….I snipped the confining threads to make the exit just a little easier…. I watched in vain to see the marvelous process of expansion in which these wings would silently and swiftly develop before my eyes…. My misplaced tenderness had proved to be its ruin…. I have thought of my moth often, especially when watching with tearful eyes those who were struggling with sorrow, suffering, and distress. My tendency would be to quickly alleviate the discipline and bring deliverance. [I believe I have been guilty of this at times.] O shortsighted person that I am! How do I know that one of these pains or groans should be relieved?”
Earlier in the tract, the author explained, “The great disparity between the size of the opening and the size of the imprisoned insect makes a person wonder how the moth ever exits at all. Of course, it is never accomplished without great labor and difficulty. It is believed the pressure to which the moth’s body is subjected when passing through such a narrow opening is nature’s way of forcing fluids into the wings, since they are less developed at the time of emerging from the cocoon than in other insects.” The author concludes, “The farsighted, perfect love that seeks the perfection of its object does not weakly shrink away from present, momentary suffering. Our Father’s love is too steadfast to be weak…. Made perfect through suffering, as our Elder Brother was, we children of God are disciplined to make us obedient, and brought to glory through much tribulation.”
JC builds on this idea but also takes us back to the theme that Blake led us into today, “I am with you and for you. When you decide on a course of action that is in line with My will, nothing in heaven or on earth can stop you. You may encounter many obstacles as you move toward your goal, but don’t be discouraged – never give up! With My help, you can overcome any obstacle…. Much, much stress results from your wanting to make things happen before their times have come…. ask Me to show you the path forward moment by moment…. let Me set the pace. Slow down [on the lazy river], and enjoy the journey in My Presence.”
