Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. Unedited. The prompt this week is … Aspire.
Sitting looking at the word for a good amount of time, I wondered if I ever had any aspirations. Some long for a career, an education, or a job and then pursue it with great ambition.
But that wasn’t me. Life just happened or unfolded, day to day.
Looking the word up in the dictionary, it was another definition that stood out and spoke to my heart. The dictionary tells me it is an archaic one, which makes me smile.
Aspire – “to rise up; soar; mount” (from dictionary.com).
Maybe we need to return to the archaic:
“Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came. Come back again, my virgin Israel; return to your towns here.” (Jeremiah 31:21, NLT)
Sitting thinking about it, the question comes to mind – To what would God have us to aspire?
“And to make it your ambition [aspire] to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:11, NASB)
Perhaps this was to be my aspiration after all. To lead a quiet life day by day, as it unfolded. In this increasingly noisy world, there can be much which vies for our attention. It will require effort and concentration to stay on track with God.
When we make it our ambition to lead a quiet life, and stay on track with God, something occurs as the days unfold:
“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:31, NASB)
Yes, I am returning to the archaic –
I aspire to rise up, to soar, to mount up,
and to live day by day on track with God.
Photo by Rachel McDermott on Unsplash
I may be joining …
I once had an aspiration,
one that did big dreams evoke,
but it required perspiration,
and, at heart a lazy bloke
I let it slide on down the blue
turned back happy to my beer,
for I have learned that this is true,
’tis better far to live in cheer
than single-mindedly press on
to some obscure destination
from which the humour has all gone,
leaving quiet desperation
at what has been left behind
to chase a phantom of the mind.
I so appreciate this, Joanne! Aspire seems like such a lofty word! As I look back on my life, I think my aspiration has been to love Jesus and to love others well. I’m still on the journey, but I’ve never been one to aspire to what the world calls great success. I’m printing this out today, so I have this for future encouragement.
Lisa, I think you are achieving the best success in pursuing the one aspiration which truly matters. I so appreciate your writing and thoughts as you make me think more. May we aspire to follow Jesus every day for all of our days.
I like that definition! 1 Thessalonians 4:11 is my aspiration, too.
I loved when I saw the “archaic” definition. It made me smile and the thoughts came so quickly, after thinking for sure I was going to skip this word prompt.
Great use of an archaic definition of Aspire! Just love it!
Popped in from FMF #9
Yes to lead a quiet life resonated with me too and my husband certainly feels that way as well, sometimes our aspirations are quite simple but can be so complex to achieve.
So true, Leisa. May we keep our eyes on Him and He will help us to achieve them.
1 Thessalonians 4:11–What a great verse!
I’ll go back to the old meaning right alongside you! Thank you for searching out truth and sharing today. #FMF 12
Oh I really like the archaic definition! And although aspiring to live a quiet and righteous life seems like a very simple goal, the way you’ve tied it to that older definition of ‘aspire’ puts it in perspective as well – it’s actually a very noble aspiration! Visiting from FMF#6
Thank you. Your blog was very comforting. I found this week’s word to be very difficult to write about. I see now that there is value in living a quiet life.
Terri #13 FMF
This is so good, Joanne.
A very comforting post.
Thanks for sharing.