"But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
(KJV)
I am realizing more and more the
power of spending time in God's word. I love
how the same scripture can speak to me differently at different times in my
life and it is always what I need at just the right moment. I love that the
more time I spend in the word and the more ways I try to get the word into my
soul (family devotions, personal Bible study, reading Christian books,
listening to Christian music) God will weave themes throughout that directly
speak to me. If you are looking for Him and seeking Him, He will not let you
down. You will not leave His presence empty handed. He rewards our seeking with
more peace I have found. He has the undistorted mirror of truth. Why would I
look in my dim mirror that is warped and cracked when I can see clearly His
truth when I spend time with Him? If I use this world's mirror I will become
confused and disoriented to the point where I am rendered completely
ineffective and I will feel that lack and emptiness in my bones. It will ooze
into all areas of my life and create a sense of hopelessness. If we look for
Him we will find Him.
Ann Voskamp in her book One Thousand Gifts talks about having a
spiritual experience at her kitchen sink washing dishes. "And I only
notice because I'm looking for this and it's the rays falling, reflecting off
the outer surface of a bubble...off the rim of bubble's inner skin...and where
they meet, this interference of life, iridescence on the bubble's arch, violet,
magenta, blue-green, yellow-gold."
Our everyday lives are filled with awe and wonder of our creator if we
will only take the time to notice. How we must grieve Him by our busyness and
failure to fully see the gifts He gives us- a gorgeous sunset, a peace-filled
moment, spring erupting once again, a healthy family. Open your eyes to the
miracle that surrounds each and every day. That is how much our heavenly Father
loves us.
I read somewhere that obedience leads
to blessing and that has been so true in my "Seek Ye First"
experiment. What started out as a forced, disciplined time with God has lead to
a deep yearning in my soul to spend time with Him and a new appreciation of His
word. The blessings have been enormous. I
have been keeping a list of what I call my "These Things Shall Be Added
Blessings." Here is just a quick sampling: a more peaceful home, calmer children, patience
with my children, more marital grace extended, better time management, honest
relationships with extended family, less
stress, motivation to take better care of myself by eating better and
exercising which has led to losing a substantial amount of weight, my four year
old interested in her own daily Bible activity time since she sees me spending
time in the Bible and hears me talking about it, family devotion time, and an enjoyment for my life and a feeling of
fulfillment in my stay-at-home mom role. Life is still hectic and busy and full to
bursting, but I don't feel like I am fighting against an unseen current clawing
my way along the muddy bottom making pitiful progress despite the effort.
Instead, the power of the current is propelling me forward and I am riding the
wave in wonder of the view from the top with this overwhelming sense of joy and
thankfulness to be allowed on the ride.
The best part is that these blessings
are not mine alone, but you can't afford to wait until you feel like it to
respond to God's gentle wooing. It is worth fighting your inner resistance. The
want to will come later once you taste and see that the Lord is truly good for
yourself. The cost is everything and it is worth the price to have the Creator
of the Universe as your constant companion and guide through this crazy,
wonderful gift of life.
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