I forgot to set my alarm. I usually do it right when I turn the alarm off in the morning, so it is something I must have overlooked yesterday. When my husband's alarm began ringing at 6:15 am, I was shocked out of bed, disappointed for waking up later, but grateful to be moving!
I am tired, for sure. Last night wasn't exactly ideal in setting the stage for an early morning wake up. I had a meeting at church that when until 9:00, and when I arrived home I was on the task of hemming my daughter's PJs in order for her to wear them to school for their annual PJ day. Now when I say "hemming" what I really mean is using iron-on tape, which compelled me to make a dent in the growing wrinkled-clothes pile. Needless to say, one chore after another delayed going to bed by over an hour.
Getting into bed didn't mean going to sleep, either. My son had another night of crying out on and off. I went to him early on, held him, and prayed for the Lord's peace to come up him and our home. As I crawled back into bed, I prayed, "Lord, please get me up at 5:16. I really want to be awake."
I would have loved the extra hour alone with the Lord this morning, yet I am thankful again for the reality check that life happens. I need to roll with the changes, and not be knocked off the mission. Life is filled with unpredictability and interruptions, yet sometimes it is in the midst of those moments that we grow and are blessed. For example, my big girls were awake and fully ready for school, earlier than usual this morning, so I suggested they read their Bibles for five minutes before watching some TV (an unheard of school-day treat), while I finished my Bible reading. Within minutes, my eldest came to me with an encouraging passage,
Philippians 4:12-13
...I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
When I partner this verse with the other two that the Lord brought to my heart on the way to the coffee pot...
James 1:4
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
...I end up with a good deal of encouragement for the day ahead and the commitment to rising earlier again tomorrow to be with the Lord. God will give me the strength I need in the meantime. Perseverance will be demanded of me, but with that comes God's work in maturing and completing what He has set out to do with me. Most importantly, I am not alone. We are not alone. The great cloud of witnesses surround us. They set out, ran the race, and finished. Maybe not like how they expected, and most likely without seeing what God was doing in their lives. But they ran the race. And so we shall run this race -- bumpy, turvy, curvy, and unpredictable race. One little step at a time. One giant leap of faith. We will run the race together, whether it begins at 5:16 am or 6:15 am or even later. We persevere for the glory of God and in seeking His face. Because He is worth it!
In His Precious Grace Today,
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2 Comments:
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing... I love the idea of suggesting your children read their Bibles before going to school... I pray those times will leave them with an understanding that comfort and direction is available to them through God's word as they seek Him in it.
The parts of our day that we consider to be "interruptions" are really "the mission field." It's within those interruptions, or changes of plan that we have the precious priviledge of walking by faith. It is opportunity to walk with Jesus, believing that He is sovereign, knowing not one thing can can intersect my path without His approval. Somebody is watching how you walk through your day........ We must remember to be flexible enough to walk in the plan B that He has ushered in. Our faith - or lack of it will be noted by someone He put there to see it. Someone needs to see a life of love and strength...... a life filled with the Holy Spirit, and all of us need to live it.
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Blessings, extravagantly,
Lisa