Monday 12.20.10: Daily Disciplines

Wake Up:
5:30 am

Devotion:
Streams in the Desert
I am not alone, for my Father is with me. (John 16:32)

It is certainly unnecessary to say that turning conviction into action requires great sacrifice. It may mean renouncing or separating myself from specific people or things, leaving me with a strange sense of deprivation and loneliness. Therefore, if I am to ultimately soar like an eagle to the heights of the cloudless day and live in the sunshine of God, I must be content to live a relatively lonely life.

There are no birds that live in as much solitude as eagles, for they never fly in flocks. Rarely can even two eagles be seen together. And a life that is dedicated to God knows devine fellowship, no matter how many human friendships have had to be forfeited along the way.

God seeks people to be like the eagle, for no one ever comes into the full realization of the best things of God in his spiritual life without learning to wak alone with Him. We see Abraham alone "in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities... near Sodom" (Gen 12:12). Moses, although educated in all the wisdom of Egypt, had to spend forty years alone with God in the desert. And Paul, who was filled with all the knowledge of the Greeks, and who sat "at the feet of Gamaliel" (Acts 22:3), was required, after meeting Jesus, to go "immediately into Arabia" (Gal 1:7) to learn of the desert life with God.

May I allow God to isolate me, but not the isolation of a monastery. It is in the experience of isolation that the Lord develops an independence of life and of faith so that the soul no longer depends on the continual help, prayers, faith and care of others. The assistance and inspiration from others are necessary, and they have a place in a Christian's development, but at times they can actually become a hinderance to my faith and welfare.

God knows how to change my circumstances in order to isolate me. And once I yield to Him and He takes me through and experience of isolation, I will no longer be dependent upon those around me, although I will still love them as much as before. Then I will realize that He has done a new work within me and that the wings of my soal have learned to soar in loftier air.

I must dare to be along, in the way that Jacob had to be alone for the Angel of God to whisper in his ear, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel" (Gen 32:38); in the way that Daniel had to be left alone to see heavenly visions; and in the way John had to be banished to the Isle of Patmos to receive and record "the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him" (Rev 1:1).

He has "trodden the winepress alone" (Isa 63:3) for me. Therefore, am I prepared for a time of "glorious isolation" rather than to fail Him?

Workout:
WOD: Self-Mastery

Warm Up:

• 21-15-9 
• Upright Row
• Squat
• Pushup

Strength/Stamina

• 100 Strict Kneeling Military Press
• 100 SDHP

Work Capacity: 10 rft, Total Time: 17:37

• 6 Strict Kneeling Military Press
• 20 Flutter Kicks
• 14 DB Swing (7 each arm)

Durability:

• 2 hours of basketball

Notes: 

• Busy day so did not get to this one until 10:30 pm. Not overly difficult physically, but a mental bear getting started so late at night after a busy day. Glad I had the mental fortitude to finish.