Isn’t it amazing how kids can be amused by the simplest things? We were out walking Penny the other day and they found a sink hole out in the field. A big one. It’s like their new playground.
We get sink holes fairly often. I think it’s a combination of the soil type and the drain tile that was put in years and years ago. (We actually almost lost a sheep in one once!) But this one is more like a crater than a “hole” like the others.
Watching them play in a hole…watching them race around the edge and then all jump in the middle at once…watching them try to out do each other jumping across it…such simple joy. How often do we needlessly complicated our lives by following our emotions rather than using our heads?
I mentioned briefly yesterday that I haven’t been doing well with my Bible reading lately. I’ve been reading a scripture here or there, but not sitting down and seeking, studying, searching. And it shows in my attitude around the house. It shows in my work habits and my focus and my lack of motivation and my frustration and irritability. (Yes, I just admitted that I can be irritable without just cause, let’s not make a big deal out of it, ok?)
And then isn’t it funny how I walk into Prayer Service Wednesday night and Pastor Gray is talking about…yep, you guessed it…reading your Bible. I think God wasn’t taking any chances on me missing the point here. Which is that the Word of God is truth, your emotions are just that, emotions. You need to stay deep in the Word of God to overcome the temptation to wallow in your emotions. (At least, that’s what I was getting out of what he said.)
Then as we went through the sermon, page after page I came across verses I’d underlined. Verses that spoke to me over the last couple years. Verses that I needed to hear. I was having my own little revival service right there in the pew all by myself!
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise” (Hebrews 6:10-12, emphasis added)
How can I feel unappreciated and unloved, as though I work endlessly without reward or notice? How can I feel put upon, aggrieved, over my daily labors? How little I do, in the light of eternity!! So often we live with exhaustion and hopelessness rather than the full joy of the Lord! Why?
Because we’re human, I suppose. We’re flesh. We put our Bible on the shelve and live day-to-day, minute-to-minute, without the bigger picture before us.
We forget that the race is long and the Glory is not found until the end. We forget that we are called to serve, to work, to stand out from the world. We think we’re just here dragging along with everyone else in the daily grind.
But we’re not!
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
We are blessed. We are chosen! Our weakness is made strong through His might!
All these words are just to say this…This is where I am today. God is speaking deeply to my heart about neglecting His Word lately. He is speaking deeply to my heart about improving my prayer life. He is speaking deeply to my heart about living my testimony out loud, that my testimony is abundant joy, peace, rest, and faith, and I should not let that go. I should grab hold with both hands, I should strain toward the goal before me, run my race, stay my course, establish my heart unmoving within the fortress of his grace.
What is He saying to you today?
