“We agreed that our instincts had driven us, often with amazing results, but in the end, had left us desperate and gasping for life.”

Three readings. A song that says the rest. And inspiration for whatever this day is here to teach.

A lone surfer riding inside a great curling wave

Read — the readings that opened the day

Tashlikh

“At Rosh Hashanah, the Akedah, the binding of Abraham’s son Isaac for sacrifice, is chanted in Hebrew to explain Abraham’s trust in God. Satan (understood as the voice inside Abraham telling him not to kill his beloved son) tried to stop him. When Abraham refused, Satan became a raging river, blocking Abraham’s way. When the water reached his neck, he called out for God’s help, and the waters immediately subsided. (This was centuries before the parting of the Red Sea.) Water was seen as symbolic of the creation of the world, and of all life. During the first day of Rosh Hashana, it’s a custom for many Jews to go to a river or lake to throw their sins into the water. This act represents a surrender to God’s will, trust in a loving Spirit, the Source of all creation.”

Adapted from My Jewish Learning

Leave No One Behind: Daily Meditations

“Coming into recovery, I had to surrender. I think back to my journey drinking and using, and to the despair I had on my first day in treatment. I know that God had been working on me in some kind of way; I wouldn't have been there otherwise! I had been sick & tired of being sick & tired. I didn't know it at the time, but I surrendered. A New World opened up, to faith in Something bigger than me. Today I ask that Something to help me continue to surrender; to go to any lengths to be of service, and to do what needs to be done to improve my life in sobriety.”

Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Meditation for the Day "Lord, to whom shall we go but to Thee?” The words of eternal life are the words from God controlling your true being, controlling the real spiritual you. They are the words from God, which are heard by you in your heart and mind when we are wide open to His spirit. These are the words of eternal life, which express the true way you are to live. They say to you in the stillness of your heart & mind & soul: "Do this and live." Prayer for the Day I pray that I may follow the dictates of my conscience. I pray that I may follow the inner urging of my soul.

Reflect — Steve L.'s own words

With my sponsor last week, we read the Big Book about our instincts; it states that Creation gave us instincts for a purpose.

We agreed that our instincts had driven us, often with amazing results, but in the end, had left us desperate and gasping for life. Where had we gone wrong? We shared some of our stories; funny, crazy, insane, yet now sober, tragic. Our instincts for sex, security and to be important had left us both broken, and broke. Then, Something happened; ending up in recovery, total failures, we thought life was over. Yes, our old way of living on instincts was over; we were offered a new way to develop intuition, a cognitive, deeper knowing that we had buried under the acts of a quick fix. Who knew?

Today, I give thanks for being able to pause in my instincts to manage life; to develop, and to turn to the One who does have all Power, the One who created me. It’s only the beginning~!