Today's Scripture reading: Isaiah 30:15
This is a "fresh, hot-off-the-press-of-life" devotional this morning. Today, God taught me an old lesson (one I've learned before) in a new way.
The activities of the long weekend threw off the regular routine of my regular type of day. With the resolve to "get back on track," last night I rehearsed my morning activities in my mind.
1. Up early.
2. Devotional time and prayer first thing.
3. The rest of the day's activities to follow.
As I sat down in my "prayer chair" in my bedroom to have my well-intentioned devotional time, my eye caught sight of my computer on my desk. What then ensued was a "slit-second" struggle, leading to "split-second" choice. Part of me said, "No Kath, leave it alone for now. Enjoy this time with God first.
The other part of me said, "I'll have one quick look. Maybe someone needs me. Maybe an appointment I have today has been cancelled. Anyways, I should boot it up incase I need to refer to biblegateway.com during my devotional time.
I made my choice. I turned on my computer.
Within minutes, I was caught up in the affairs of my day...returning emails, making Facebook comments, writing a blog posting...even caught up in the details of some events happening in the near future that aren't necessarily my concern to be involved in. The next thing I knew, it was 10:30 am.
Now, to be sure, most of what I accomplished during that 2 hour period since sitting down to have my devotional time needed to be done--at some time--today. But here's the problem: I did them in the wrong order. How do I know that? Here's how I felt by 10:30 am...
- drained of energy - I had run ahead of God and had not "acknowledged Him in all my ways" (Prov. 3:5)
- a sense of unnecessary internal hurry, scurry, and urgency - my mind was on fast-forward with details, and the "stress-butterflies" in my stomach were flying around like crazy with no sign that they were going to stop soon
- overwhelmed - I had added things to my already heavily scheduled week that I had not given adequate thought to
- angry and frustrated - perceived and real...mainly at myself for having gotten into this hole so early in the day.
My choice had stolen my energy and focus. That's because when I do not intentionally place my eyes on Jesus at the beginning of the day, I quickly lose my way. I put everything down. It was time to realign. I needed strength. That's when Isaiah 30:15 came to my mind. I said it over and over again. "In quietness and trust is your strength." It doesn't say "in rushing around and getting on with the business of the day in your own way" or "in taking on all the problems of those around you" or "in thinking you are being efficient and effective with your time by hitting those emails first thing" is your strength. No. In quietness and trust is my strength. Quietness and trust doesn't just happen. It's as much of a choice for us to make as any other choice we make during the course of a day.
So I knew I had a choice to make...to turn off the computer, to sit quietly, and in utter completeness of surrender return the details of my day to Him and His guidance. It started by letting Him search my heart. It continued by repenting of my own ways. It will continue today by remaining in utter completeness of surrender.
That was my lesson for today--at least, so far! How about you? Do you have a realigning choice to make? Do you get yourself so involved in the affairs of the day that you forget where your source of strength comes from? Are you already going at such a high speed today that the hurry, scurry, and urgency of the day has taken over every corner of your mind, heart and soul? Has your energy and focus been zapped today? By what? Is it time right now for you to sit still and meditate on Isaiah 30:15?
Let's quiet our heart before Him. Let's choose to trust Him. Then He can do glorious things for and with our lives.
Have a sweet day!
To His Glory!!
kath
