Day 1
Yes, its true, today I walked away from my very whiny three year old, closed my bedroom door, closed my bathroom door, closed my closet door and screamed to the top of my lungs for about five minutes. Yes, it’s true, today I felt crazy. My daughter, Adalaide, had a procedure done about a week ago and she has needed around the clock care. She can’t help that she has needed care, but trying to care for her and also a restless six year old, and an “all boy” two year old, and cook, and clean, and tackle our infinite laundry load, along with having had no sleep has sent me over the top and made me feel like a totally inadequate mom.
Then something great happens. As I am putting my son to bed he begins to sing Jesus Loves Me along with me. I can see his huge smile in the glow of the nightlight and I think about how blessed I am. I have been “gifted from God”. And what about God, what has he been up to today? I haven’t even spoken to Him to know of his sovereignty , His goodness, His gentleness, His strength over my life and home. Instead of the whiny kid, the dirty dishes, the poopy diapers, the piles of dirty laundry being my agitation, maybe just maybe, my issue is a filthy display of my sinner self instead of the glorious saint Christ created in me through His death. Later, that night, while cleaning my bedroom, I ran across a pamphlet called “Rules for Daily Life”. As I made my way to the trash with it, I took a glance at what it said:
BEGIN THE DAY WITH GOD
Kneel down to Him in prayer;
Lift up thy heart to HIs abode.
And seek His love to share.
OPEN THE BOOK OF GOD
And read a portion there;
That it may hallow all thy thoughts,
And sweetn all thy care.
GO THROUGH THE DAY WITH GOD
Whate’er thy work may be;
Where’er thou art-at home, abroad,
He still is near to thee.
CONVERSE IN MIND WITH GOD
Thy spirit heavenward raise:
Acknowledge every good bestowed,
And offer grateful praise.
CONCLUDE THE DAY WITH GOD
Thy sins to Him confess;
Trust in the Lord’s atoning blood,
And lead His righteousness.
LIE DOWN AT NIGHT WITH GOD
Who gives His servants sleep;
And when thou tread’st the vale of death,
He will thee guard and sleep
The Tract League
Grand Rapids MI 49534-1329
So this “mystery” pamphlet, now stored in my Bible, was a great reminder of what a difference my day could have been if it had been spent with Him. Is this concept of full focus on God a new thought for a Regenerate one, certainly not, then how did I neglect dependance on my Lord today?
Psalm 127: 1,2
“Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain. In vain you get up early and stay up late, eating food earned by hard work; certainly He gives sleep to the one He loves.”
Lord, forgive me for my vain work today. As “The One who holds the seven stars in HIs right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands”, You do your work, where, when, and how you want to do it and it is never in vain. Only your work in this home will be fruitful so discipline me to be about your “house building” and not my own. Teach me to love this family with your pure, unconditional, and patient love. Thank you for your new mercies each morning.
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