Romans 12:1:
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering...
A few days before Christmas I was feeling the pressure of too much to do in too little time. We would be leaving to spend the holidays in Mississippi, and I still had gifts to wrap and Christmas parties to attend. So, when my adorable seventeen-year-old daughter Lia asked late one night if I could use her help the next day, I was ecstatic. As I made a mental list of all I could accomplish with my daughter’s assistance, I imagined a clean house, wrapped gifts and baked goodies ready for our trip to the "true South."
The next morning I jumped from my bed and listened for noise from my daughter’s room. Nothing. I poured a cup of coffee and retreated to my study to read my Bible. When I finished, there still was not a stir from anywhere else in the house. So, I started wrapping the mountain of gifts on my bedroom floor. Finally, as I tied a huge bow on yet another box, my daughter appeared in her pajamas, rubbing sleep from her eyes. I tried to hide my disappointment as she explained that she had stayed up much too late burning CD’s for a friend, but would jump in the shower right away.
Encouraged by the prospect of a productive afternoon, I started on my Christmas newsletter and waited for my daughter to get dressed. Then the phone rang. It was for Lia. A few minutes later she entered the study and sheepishly admitted that she had forgotten about an invitation to a Christmas lunch with friends. She would need to go, since she had committed to it, and when she returned she would be happy to do whatever I needed.
Today, as I pondered and examined the past year, I realized with sadness that I have resembled my daughter’s well-intended helpfulness far too frequently. To tell the truth, my greatest intentions to serve the Lord are often drained by my own busy-ness. I wonder how many times the Lord has watched me rub spiritual sluggishness from my eyes after I have worn myself out with wordly ambitions and selfish pursuits. And how many times has He waited for me to check my overloaded schedule of the “good” things of life so I can squeeze in a few moments that will make a difference for eternity?
Lia finally came home from her Christmas lunch and jumped in to help with both feet. As I continued to wrap gifts, she ran errands and even cleaned the kitchen. As my daughter worked alongside me, I was grateful for her two hands, her willing heart and, most of all, her fellowship.
As we begin a new year, let’s put our spiritual tennis shoes on. Let’s run this race with gusto, jumping in with both feet and offering God everything. I want to save energy for spiritual pursuits and choose with care the things that make me busy. As we offer God our hands and our hearts, we will, no doubt, be thrilled by His fellowship.
A few days before Christmas I was feeling the pressure of too much to do in too little time. We would be leaving to spend the holidays in Mississippi, and I still had gifts to wrap and Christmas parties to attend. So, when my adorable seventeen-year-old daughter Lia asked late one night if I could use her help the next day, I was ecstatic. As I made a mental list of all I could accomplish with my daughter’s assistance, I imagined a clean house, wrapped gifts and baked goodies ready for our trip to the "true South."
The next morning I jumped from my bed and listened for noise from my daughter’s room. Nothing. I poured a cup of coffee and retreated to my study to read my Bible. When I finished, there still was not a stir from anywhere else in the house. So, I started wrapping the mountain of gifts on my bedroom floor. Finally, as I tied a huge bow on yet another box, my daughter appeared in her pajamas, rubbing sleep from her eyes. I tried to hide my disappointment as she explained that she had stayed up much too late burning CD’s for a friend, but would jump in the shower right away.
Encouraged by the prospect of a productive afternoon, I started on my Christmas newsletter and waited for my daughter to get dressed. Then the phone rang. It was for Lia. A few minutes later she entered the study and sheepishly admitted that she had forgotten about an invitation to a Christmas lunch with friends. She would need to go, since she had committed to it, and when she returned she would be happy to do whatever I needed.
Today, as I pondered and examined the past year, I realized with sadness that I have resembled my daughter’s well-intended helpfulness far too frequently. To tell the truth, my greatest intentions to serve the Lord are often drained by my own busy-ness. I wonder how many times the Lord has watched me rub spiritual sluggishness from my eyes after I have worn myself out with wordly ambitions and selfish pursuits. And how many times has He waited for me to check my overloaded schedule of the “good” things of life so I can squeeze in a few moments that will make a difference for eternity?
Lia finally came home from her Christmas lunch and jumped in to help with both feet. As I continued to wrap gifts, she ran errands and even cleaned the kitchen. As my daughter worked alongside me, I was grateful for her two hands, her willing heart and, most of all, her fellowship.
As we begin a new year, let’s put our spiritual tennis shoes on. Let’s run this race with gusto, jumping in with both feet and offering God everything. I want to save energy for spiritual pursuits and choose with care the things that make me busy. As we offer God our hands and our hearts, we will, no doubt, be thrilled by His fellowship.
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