Live Responsively

What will guide my life this week? What will give focus to my speech and my choices? In a recent interview, Eugene Peterson referred to prayer as "answering speech". Peterson points out that in life the first word is spoken by God and all that we say or do is a response to His first word. That's an interesting way of approaching the week. Am I responding to God? Peterson reaches back to the creative word of God in the beginning and recognizes that God sets things in motion. What does it mean for me to live responsively? I consider that fact that God's creative activity has continued in my life. He has created a new heart in me. He has renewed my mind with creative energy. He has given me a new perspective with which to see the world around me. He has created new relationships in my life that He has ordained for His purposes. What is my response? Well, I need to answer His first words with gratitude and humilty. Why would He invest so much in my week? It gives new meaning to the Apostle Paul's words...redeem the time.