Daily Lent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Saturday, February 20
By Dr. David Craig, March 22, 2017
Talk to Yourself
Read: John 14:16, 26
Recently I toured a prison on Robben Island, one hour from off the coast of South Africa. I asked the guide, who was a former prisoner there, how he dealt with solitary confinement. He replied, “I talk to myself and think happy thoughts. Away from the monitoring cameras I like to sing and dance.” He implied that these actions got him through each day.
Nelson Mandela spent more than 20 years in that prison for leading a movement to bring equal rights to black people. He would have answered the above question by saying “physical discipline, exercising two times a day and mental discipline to study and pass law degree exams at night.”
Like these men, many of us face a variety of gods each day. As we go through trial and error and grow, we figure out who is good and helpful and who is evil. The talk is much easier if we read the Word, pray and befriend other Christians.
Lent is a time for reflection, to examine our sinful souls, to ask forgiveness and to accept a resurrection for our souls on Easter. Jesus said, “I will send you a helper . . .” to dwell within you. Christians believe that this helper is in fact the Holy Spirit; and through belief in the holy trinity, that God and even Jesus Christ dwells within us.
Hence when we talk to our self, are we not talking to God and Jesus Christ? And when we discipline ourselves to read God’s word we receive strength for each day.
Prayer
Thank you for being present in our lives each day and hearing our problems and concerns. Help us to show more love to you and all those around us. Amen.
