Matthew 6 - Don't Worry, Be Happy

Today's Scripture: Matthew 6 - In this scripture, Jesus teaches us to be good and not to do good for public show and commendation, he teaches us the Lord's Prayer, and he also reassures us that all of our needs will be met and to not worry about tomorrow; take care of today.  "33 Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well."  It is copied below from Bible.com.

Application:  So Max says to look at the Lord's Prayer as a house plan and that through this, you can live in God's house everyday, all day.  When you are stuck in traffic, when you are tempted, when you are having troubles with the people or things in your life, you can be comforted by talking to God.  "Children memorize it, parishioners recite it, and students study it....These words do more than tell us what to say to God; they tell us how to exist with God."  Think on the words of the Lord's prayer and reflect. What does it mean to you to have a Father in Heaven?  What can you do to help build God's Kingdom "on Earth as it is in Heaven"?  What "food" do you need form the Lord today? And who do you need to forgive today? What sins challenged you today that God could help you with? "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory."  Amen.

My Thoughts:  Wow! Matthew is sure giving us the "meat" of Jesus' teachings right off the start.  I have always tried to teach verse 33 "Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well."  Ironically, I was just having this discussion with Dillon as he was worrying about going to LA....remember to ask God what HE wants you to do there and the rest will follow.  And then this was the reading!   Coincidence?  I think not!  Same with the worrying - he was worrying about way too far into the future; deal with right now.  I'm not saying that planning isn't a good idea; of course it is, but remember to have faith that God's plan for you is always in motion and you are right where you are supposed to be right now. It doesn't even mean that it will work out the way we planned....again, its His plan.  Life gives us choices that we make and from those, he tries to direct or steer us toward a better self, a greater good, a better relationship with him. Just as a parent, I do, too.  You have your choices but when something goes wrong, I try to steer you toward a better outcome.  Devon hasn't been given "choices" per se, but she has to deal with a life that she did NOT choose.  How she chooses to handle that is her choice.  Again, we both believe, as difficult as it is to accept, that God has a plan that is better for her.  We have hope that she will have the happiness that life offers through the love of a significant other (although the love of family and friends abounds), and the joy of children if it is in her heart to experience that, and passion that keeps her interest and supports her needs, after we get through the next step on her medical journey.  
As far as the Lord's Prayer reflection:  I liken my praying to God as if I was talking to an imaginary friend all day long.  The play, Fiddler on the Roof, has always been a favorite of mine because I could relate to Tevya's (the fathers) discussions with God like that. He talked to Him like a friend would talk to a friend.  I do the same.  At night, while laying in bed waiting to go to sleep, I may "pray" and voice gratitude for the blessings I received that day or ask for help or guidance about something, but mostly, I talk all day long.  So I kind of think that I do live in the Lord's Prayer as Max was suggesting with him around me at all times and there to lend an ear about anything I care to share.  Best therapist ever!

Jesus Teaches About Giving

1 “Be careful! When you do good things, don’t do them in front of people to be seen by them. If you do that, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “When you give to the poor, don’t be like the hypocrites. They blow trumpets in the synagogues and on the streets so that people will see them and honor them. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward. 3 So when you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know what you are doing. 4 Your giving should be done in secret. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and he will reward you.

Jesus Teaches About Prayer

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray so people will see them. I tell you the truth, they already have their full reward. 6 When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and he will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him. 9 So when you pray, you should pray like this:

‘Our Father in heaven,

may your name always be kept holy.

10 May your kingdom come

and what you want be done,

here on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us the food we need for each day.

12 Forgive us for our sins,

just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us.

13 And do not cause us to be tempted,

but save us from the Evil One.’ [The kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. Amen.]

14 Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.

Jesus Teaches About Worship

16 “When you fast, don’t put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They make their faces look sad to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward. 17 So when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then people will not know that you are fasting, but your Father, whom you cannot see, will see you. Your Father sees what is done in secret, and he will reward you.

God Is More Important than Money

19 “Don’t store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. 20 But store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will be where your treasure is.

22 “The eye is a light for the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. And if the only light you have is really darkness, then you have the worst darkness.

24 “No one can serve two masters. The person will hate one master and love the other, or will follow one master and refuse to follow the other. You cannot serve both God and worldly riches.

Don’t Worry

25 “So I tell you, don’t worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. 26 Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. 27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. 29 But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. 30 God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. Don’t have so little faith! 31 Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. 33 Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 5 - Jesus Teaches...

Today's Scripture: Matthew 5 - This scripture goes over some of Jesus' rules to live by.  It is copied below from Bible.com.

Application:  How are you fulfilling Jesus' command to be perfect before God?  Do you fall short by lying, lusting, cheating, coveting, or gossiping?  When you battle on of these temptations, instead of giving in, pray, sing, or think of a memorized verse...Praise God instead of giving in.  Reflect on Exodus 19-24 for the Ten Commandments.

My Thoughts:  I loved this reading but I can't tell you why....maybe I like rules to live by.  I have always put most of my stock into the Ten Commandments.  When I have had questions about what is right or wrong, I give it the Ten Commandments check...that usually helps easily clarify things. 

Its so hard to"love all people".  I had a woman I worked with that is horribly evil and mean to everyone - not just me - but I was who she was attacking at the time.  I had to leave....but after I left, I DID pray for her because I felt she must be so unhappy and miserable to be that mean and ugly to people. However, even though I prayed for her, I must be truthful...I still don't like her. I have even gone out of my way to avoid her.  

On a good note, I do try to let my little light shine.  As I stated in my last post, I try to witness God's interventions in my life to others as appropriate. However, I could try harder to be the light for other people - be a good role model so others will see God in me and praise God.  I will try to do more good in my world....add it to my New Year's resolution list. 

Jesus Teaches the People

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 “They are blessed who realize their spiritual poverty,

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

4 They are blessed who grieve,

for God will comfort them.

5 They are blessed who are humble,

for the whole earth will be theirs.

6 They are blessed who hunger and thirst after justice,

for they will be satisfied.

7 They are blessed who show mercy to others,

for God will show mercy to them.

8 They are blessed whose thoughts are pure,

for they will see God.

9 They are blessed who work for peace,

for they will be called God’s children.

10 They are blessed who are persecuted for doing good,

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 

11 “People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do, you will be blessed. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.

You Are Like Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on.

14 “You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. 16 In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

The Importance of the Law

17 “Don’t think that I have come to destroy the law of Moses or the teaching of the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to bring about what they said. 18 I tell you the truth, nothing will disappear from the law until heaven and earth are gone. Not even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will be lost until everything has happened. 19 Whoever refuses to obey any command and teaches other people not to obey that command will be the least important in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys the commands and teaches other people to obey them will be great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I tell you that if you are no more obedient than the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus Teaches About Anger

21 “You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘You must not murder anyone. Anyone who murders another will be judged.’ 22 But I tell you, if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be judged. If you say bad things to a brother or sister, you will be judged by the council. And if you call someone a fool, you will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with that person, and then come and offer your gift.

25 “If your enemy is taking you to court, become friends quickly, before you go to court. Otherwise, your enemy might turn you over to the judge, and the judge might give you to a guard to put you in jail. 26I tell you the truth, you will not leave there until you have paid everything you owe.

Jesus Teaches About Sexual Sin

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not be guilty of adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her, in his mind he has already done that sin with the woman. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Jesus Teaches About Divorce

31 “It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written divorce paper.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife forces her to be guilty of adultery. The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if she has sexual relations with another man. And anyone who marries that divorced woman is guilty of adultery.

Make Promises Carefully

33 “You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘Don’t break your promises, but keep the promises you make to the Lord.’ 34 But I tell you, never swear an oath. Don’t swear an oath using the name of heaven, because heaven is God’s throne. 35 Don’t swear an oath using the name of the earth, because the earth belongs to God. Don’t swear an oath using the name of Jerusalem, because that is the city of the great King. 36 Don’t even swear by your own head, because you cannot make one hair on your head become white or black. 37 Say only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no. If you say more than yes or no, it is from the Evil One.

Don’t Fight Back

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, don’t stand up against an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also. 40 If someone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles. 42 If a person asks you for something, give it to him. Don’t refuse to give to someone who wants to borrow from you.

Love All People

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. 45 If you do this, you will be true children of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on good people and on evil people, and he sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. 46 If you love only the people who love you, you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. 47 And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than other people. Even those who don’t know God are nice to their friends. 48 So you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 3 & 4 - Johns preparation and Jesus' beginnings

Today's Scripture: Matthew 3 and 4 
The scriptures are copied below from bible.com using the New Century Version. I suggest reading the scripture prior to the Application or My Thoughts.

Application:  Again, using Max Lucado's suggestions for reflection - Are you a faithful worker in God's service?  Do you share your faith or do you argue with other Christians?  Ask God to help you become a successful fisher of men.

My Thoughts:   For me, sharing how God has been in my life (or my family's) has been an important part of my witnessing and hopefully it makes people think about their own encounters that must be God's intervention in their lives.  I don't think I could, nor would I like to "preach" to others about God.  Storytelling is more my style and I know I have made some of my students (I teach college level students) that have heard my stories think about God and their relationship.  One even came to ask my opinion about a problem she was having with her church....it was interesting that she cared about what I thought.  It was still her decision to make.  I have also had students come to me to discuss their grades, plans, other courses, stress, etc, and also discuss how they have been praying about their problems.  I know they feel comfortable talking to me about this because I talk to them in class about my beliefs, again, without "preaching" or telling them how to be, just story telling about my own life.  I am openly Christian in my life and not afraid or embarrassed to talk about it.  I am comfortable in my role as "a fisher of men" in this respect. 

 3  The Work of John the Baptist

1 About that time John the Baptist began preaching in the desert area of Judea. 2 John said, “Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 John the Baptist is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said:

“This is a voice of one

who calls out in the desert:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord.

Make the road straight for him.’ ”

4 John’s clothes were made from camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 Many people came from Jerusalem and Judea and all the area around the Jordan River to hear John. 6 They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. (NOTE: "Two major religious groups existed in Israel at the time of Jesus.  The Pharisees were more religiously minded while the Sadducees were more politically minded.  These groups were united in hatred for Jesus." - Max Lucado)  When John saw them, he said, “You are snakes! Who warned you to run away from God’s coming punishment? 8 Do the things that show you really have changed your hearts and lives. 9 And don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks. 10 The ax is now ready to cut down the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water to show that your hearts and lives have changed. But there is one coming after me who is greater than I am, whose sandals I am not good enough to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12  He will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out.”

Jesus Is Baptized by John

13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River and wanted John to baptize him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I need to be baptized by you!”

15 Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God’s will.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him.”

4 The Temptation of Jesus

1 Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 Jesus fasted for forty days and nights. After this, he was very hungry. 3 The devil came to Jesus to tempt him, saying, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person lives not on bread alone, but by everything God says.’ ” 5 Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and put him on a high place of the Temple. 6 The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, jump down, because it is written in the Scriptures:

‘He has put his angels in charge of you.

They will catch you in their hands

so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’ ”

7 Jesus answered him, “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ”

8 Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their splendor. 9 The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.” 10 Jesus said to the devil, “Go away from me, Satan! It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” 11 So the devil left Jesus, and angels came and took care of him.

Jesus Begins Work in Galilee

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went back to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, a town near Lake Galilee, in the area near Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 Jesus did this to bring about what the prophet Isaiah had said:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali

along the sea, beyond the Jordan River.

This is Galilee where the non-Jewish people live.

16 These people who live in darkness will see a great light.

They live in a place covered with the shadows of death,

but a light will shine on them.”

Jesus Chooses Some Followers

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Change your hearts and lives, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” 18 As Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen. 19 Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him. 21 As Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus told them to come with him. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches and Heals People

23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News about the kingdom of heaven, and healing all the people’s diseases and sicknesses. 24 The news about Jesus spread all over Syria, and people brought all the sick to him. They were suffering from different kinds of diseases. Some were in great pain, some had demons, some were epileptics, and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed all of them. 25 Many people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and the land across the Jordan River followed him.

Matthew 1 & 2 - The birth of new beginnings

Online Reference Bible.com  I used New Century Version
I wasn't sure where to start and I have always started at the beginning, however, I heard that the Bible is like a library of books and so it doesn't necessarily need to be read cover to cover.  But where to begin when you don't know very much about the Bible?  I decided since I always start from the beginning (Old Testament) but am never successful reading it as planned, I would maybe start with the New Testament this time.  Again, where?  I know Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were Jesus' disciples so I decided to start with Matthew.  As I searched for Matthew in my Bible, I found it to be the first book of the first Testament!  (Coincidence?  I think not....)  When I started reading the suggested readings for today, it is about the birth of Jesus!   Talk about relevance since we just celebrated Christmas!  We must be on the right track!  So here we go:
A little history about Matthew from Max Lucado:  Matthew was a tax collector and hated by the people.  "You got to wonder what Jesus saw in Matthew.  At the same time, you got to wonder what Matthew saw in Jesus."  But Matthew heard the call and never looked back...he spent the rest of his life convincing people that Jesus was the Messiah while Jesus died to save people like Matthew, "convincing us that if he had a place for Matthew, he would have a place for us, too."
Date written 60 A.D.
Contents:

• The birth and preparation of the Messiah 1:1 - 4:11
• Jesus' ministry in Galilee 4:12 - 20:29
• Jesus' last days on Earth 21:1 - 28:20

Today's Readings: Matthew 1:1 - 2:23
The first Chapter 1:1 - 1:16 tells the story of Jesus' linage. Matthew was writing for a Jewish audience and he needed to show the Jews that Jesus was a Jew, too.  So he shows that he was a descendant of both King David and Abraham.

1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the migration into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the migration into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

The number 14....what do you think about that? Does that mean something?  Will we see this number again in more scripture or is it coincidental? 

The Birth of Jesus Christ 1:18 -

18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, but before they married, she learned she was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. 19Because Mary’s husband, Joseph, was a good man, he did not want to disgrace her in public, so he planned to divorce her secretly.

20While Joseph thought about these things, an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the baby in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22All this happened to bring about what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23“The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”

24When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord’s angel had told him to do. Joseph took Mary as his wife, 25but he did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to the son. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Wise men came to visit Jesus 2:1

1 Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. When Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the baby who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, as were all the people in Jerusalem. 4 Herod called a meeting of all the leading priests and teachers of the law and asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 They answered, “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea. The prophet wrote about this in the Scriptures:

6‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are not just an insignificant village in Judah.

A ruler will come from you

who will be like a shepherd for my people Israel.’ ” - Micah 5:2

7 Then Herod had a secret meeting with the wise men and learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. 8 He sent the wise men to Bethlehem, saying, “Look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me so I can worship him too.”

9After the wise men heard the king, they left. The star that they had seen in the east went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When the wise men saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11 They came to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their gifts and gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their own country by a different way.

Jesus’ Parents Take Him to Egypt

13 After they left, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt, because Herod is starting to look for the child so he can kill him. Stay in Egypt until I tell you to return.”

14 So Joseph got up and left for Egypt during the night with the child and his mother. 15And Joseph stayed in Egypt until Herod died. This happened to bring about what the Lord had said through the prophet: “I called my son out of Egypt.”

Herod Kills the Baby Boys

16 When Herod saw that the wise men had tricked him, he was furious. So he gave an order to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and in the surrounding area who were two years old or younger. This was in keeping with the time he learned from the wise men. 17 So what God had said through the prophet Jeremiah came true:

18“A voice was heard in Ramah

of painful crying and deep sadness:

Rachel crying for her children.

She refused to be comforted,

because her children are dead.” - Jeremiah 31:15

Joseph and Mary Return

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream while he was in Egypt. 20 The angel said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, because the people who were trying to kill the child are now dead.”

21 So Joseph took the child and his mother and went to Israel. 22 But he heard that Archelaus was now king in Judea since his father Herod had died. So Joseph was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the area of Galilee, 23 to a town called Nazareth, and lived there. And so what God had said through the prophets came true: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Any thoughts thus far?  Max Lucado suggests two things:

1. God's plan encompasses  your personality, your talents, and your future.  Ask God today to help you be a witness, open to new assignments, and eager to grow in faith as Matthew must have been when he received his call. 
2. Inspiration: Perhaps changes are in the air right now.   Maybe you're in the midst of a decision.  It's disrupting, isn't it?  You like your branch that you are sitting on but God is asking you to go out on a limb and move, forgive, evangelize, sacrifice...Regardless of the nature of the call, the consequences are the same: civil war - your heart may say yes, but your feet say no.  Excuses blow by like fallen leaves - "Its not my talent." "Its not my time."  "Not now, I'll do it tomorrow"...but eventually you are left staring at a bare tree and a hard choice: his will or yours?

My thoughts:
I don't think it was coincidence that I started with the Book of Matthew today.  I believe I was led to this gospel which makes me feel that I am on the right track.  I'm sharing it with you, my family so that maybe we can do this together but I will continue either way, I just think it would be more fun if we'd do it together.  So check in when you can, leave a comment or a "point to ponder" if  you want.  As far as what I'm doing today, its #1....I have no clue what I'm supposed to be doing for God and so I'll ask him as I have many times before.  I think #2 is also appropriate for our family right now as we embark on many changes in this next year....May God be with each of you as we venture forward.  And, may you keep God's intentions and the fact that we are here to do God's work in some way (help others, use our talents, etc) in your mind each day as you make choices about your lives.  I love you all and consider you all a gift to me from God.