Jesus said, “Keep watch and be on alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

Matthew 24:42

Notes for Contemplation as You Use this Devotional:

• This passage from the Gospel Writer Called Matthew comes from the chapter in which Jesus speaks to the disciples about the future, theirs and his. Jesus is prophesying, but he doesn’t have a crystal ball. Still, he is deeply intuitive and fully grounded in his Christ consciousness (mindset), the Lord of his being.  He doesn’t intellectualize.  He waits upon and watches for the Lord.
• Jesus’s Lord—and yours, too—is your spiritual self, your God essence. To have a Christ consciousness like Jesus’s means that you rule your own life, fully aligned in body, mind, and soul. Your goal is to be the greatest expression of God you can be, not to rule over or control others.  Thus, you’re alert to your intuitive guidance, noticing the synchronicity of how life unfolds.
• Faith sees beyond outer appearance to inherent truth. With faith, you can believe in and expect positive outcome before you see it revealed in your life and in the world. When you’re grounded in faith, you can maintain a comfortable attitude of spiritual watchfulness and discern whatever is best for your life and those in your care.  You don’t force your will onto situations.  You stay soul-connected.
• Faith allows you to live from the depths of your being and be who you really are as one of God’s divine beloveds. So, when you’re attuned to your own Lord, you discern how to live your purpose. And, like Jesus, you know that your faith isn’t a magic wand.  You recognize that you must activate and direct your faith with positive expectation.
• In her book, How to Let God Help You, Metaphysician Myrtle Fillmore explains that “to the average person, faith is rather an indefinite quality on the ordinary plane of [the five] senses, and few regard it as the most important faculty of mind. Yet . . . no other faculty is so often called into play in the demonstration of spiritual science.”
• Demonstration is the evidence you can see of what does or doesn’t work. You demonstrate your faith by how harmoniously and mindfully you live, even as you await perfect outcome. For example, you may not know when a permanent cease-fire will occur in the Middle East.  But you can take specific steps to be a grounded presence, so you release harsh judgments about others and resolve your own conflicts with compassion.
• Faith is an element of Advent, the contemplative season that prepares us for Christmas. But even if Advent isn’t part of your spiritual practice, you can still appreciate the difference between your intellectual knowing and your intuitive understanding.

Contemplation Questions:

As you reflect on your life and circumstances, ask yourself:

• When I reflect on my life now, what do I know with my intellect?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you know.

• When I reflect on my life now, what do I know with my intuition?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you know.

• What am I awaiting and/or anticipating?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as much as applies.

• In what ways am I discovering the depths of my soul?
  • List, word map, or illustrate all the ways.

• What are at least three (3) ways I can watch faithfully for perfect outcome?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you can imagine.

As you use this devotional, remember that you have five senses, but you also have an intuitive nature that aligns with your soul.  Be assured: You already have all the faith you’ll ever need, flowing like an endless stream within you.  So, focus on how you’re directing that faith, alert to your own divine guidance and intuition.  Keep watch, and witness the ways that grace and goodness are being revealed to you and through you.

© 2023 – Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.

Photo from Shutterstock by Scapigliata.