Intentions Come From the Heart

“Change is inevitable, growth is intentional.”

We do live in an ever changing world. Without direction, we are swept through life in an ever-increasing speed. It seems like just yesterday, not 74 years, when I remembered the words, “You did that on purpose!” My siblings and I hurled these words often. Intense investifation followed each time we hurt each other accidently. Appeal to the higher authority of Mom, didn’t bring any satisfactory help. If the ensuing debate revealed that the situation was indeed, accidental, all was forgiven. If indeed, the incident was ‘on purpose’ or intentional, we tried to ‘get even’. Somehow the process of ‘getting even’ was never completed. Just as milk and cereal never come out even.

In all her wisdom, Mom declared that she loved us all, and it hurt her when we fought. She noted that God would take care of the situation, we did not need to. After that, if there was a disagreement, we resisted retaliation, saying, “God will take care of you.” I’m not sure Mom meant that we would wait for God to ‘get even’ for us. But we did.

The word intentional is like a walk toward a planned destination. We can walk in the shade or we can walk in the light. Intentional has a dark side and a bright side. Intentional living has eternal consequences.

There is intentional living that leads to loving and promotes commitment affirming purposefulness. Eac day we have to make choices in our lives. The underlying motivation for the choices comes from our purpose in life – and indicates pre-thinking and determination for our lives. Inconsistency in life comes when we have no pre-thinking and a belief that underlies our motivation.

So often, in the past, I make a choice and wondered if it is the right one. When Mother and Dad made the decision to buy the brown house, or to move to a new town and job, were they at peace? Even though they second-guessed their decision there was doubt when costs rose and we didn’t always have what we needed

Was it the right decision when we chose to move from Kansas to Illinois? When our great grandparents made the decision to travel to America from Russia, their purpose was freedom to worship God. Did they expect everything would be fine once they arrived in America? No, but they made plans to accomplish the move. From putting their possessions in one trunk, including winter wheat to plant, clothes for a large family, food for the trip to saying goodbye to family and friends left behind. They needed intentional commitment, trusting and loving God. Their intention was to worship in freedom.

When they boarded the ship they could not change course in the middle of the Atlantic. They had intentional trust and commitment that the Lord God would see them through. When drouth, grasshoppers, crop failure, snow storms or hot winds raged across central Kansas, were they tempted to doubt?

“Loving happily ever after‘ is not an assurance when choosing a mate for life. Yet, facing each day with the intention of love and commitment brings a sense of satisfaction and joy.

Shall we change location, jobs, the major in college? Decisions are endless. We want assurance that what we choose it is the right thing to do. Intentional love and faith brings that for we trust God.

When Jesus came to earth, was there an intention to His appearance? Yes. He came to seek and save the lost. Did he doubt or question….read the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane…yet his intentional love was larger than his understanding of what was to come.

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138:8

If our golden rule is “Do unto others before they have a chance to do it to me,” life may seem difficult. If our golden rule is “Do unto others as you would have them do to you,” il changes your heart.

Our speech, actions and attitude reveal our purpose in life or lack thereof. But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart….Matthew 15:18a

Intentional Living, Loving, Commitment self, family, community and world – far-reaching, Purpose

Intentional Living has to emanate from from the heart.

What does it take to live intentionally? It takes consistently following our example, Jesus Christ, who came in love.

Paul talks about pouring himself out….that his life is for others. As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. II Timothy 4:6a

The Intentional Living is soul-deep, beginning from the inside – to outside.

Comment? Mail eacombs@cox.net