Before Jesus worked the miracle of raising a dead girl to life, He ejected a crowd of people ridiculing Him for declaring that the girl was not dead (Mt 9:24). "The crowd [was] making a din" and "began to ridicule him" (Mt 9:23-24).
We too are surrounded by crowds of negativity, skepticism, and unbelief. We are bombarded with the cacophony of the culture of death. We must first do some ejecting to be able to concentrate on the word of faith. Are the TV and handheld electronic devices crowding out the voice of God in your life? Turn them off and put them out when you pray. Are neighbors, co-workers, and family members blocking the Good News from reaching your ears? You may not be able to eject them, but you can give first place to the voice of the Lord.
Jesus rose early in the morning to pray (Mk 1:35). He sought out quiet places to be with God before the demands of the day presented themselves.
The primacy belongs to Jesus in all things (Col 1:28). Give the Lord prime time. Put out whatever crowds out the word of faith from your hearing. "Faith, then, comes through hearing, and what is heard is the word of Christ" (Rm 10:17).
Do you want to get more done? To increase your output, increase your "putting out." Put out whatever crowds out the voice of God (see Mt 9:25), and let God put more faith into your life.
| PRAYER: | Father, give me the grace to say "No" to myself and "Yes" to You. |
| PROMISE: | "With His pinions He will cover you, and under His wings you shall take refuge." –Ps 91:4 |
| PRAISE: | For several years, Bonnie used her yearly allotment of vacation time from work to intern for a healing ministry. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College