I know I've said this a million times, to anyone who reads any of my blog posts, Facebook statuses or talks to me in person, but I LOVE love love perspective. I love it when I see things in a new way, have them explained to me so I get a fresh understanding, a revelation. Something clicks. A light bulb goes off. Ordinary becomes extraordinary.
As often happens, one thing led to another and I ended up reading this.
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. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out*. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
*Haven't I heard those words before somewhere?
That's Roman's 12:1-2. A fairly well known set of scripture verses. And while some people may argue the validity of The Message translation, it's a guy who has taken scripture and explained it to you and me as if we were having a conversation about it, in real today language. Conversation about what God is saying is always good.
So today, I can take the laundry, bill-keeping / budget balancing, parenting, cooking, conversations with friends, tv watching and Facebooking, and place it at God's feet. What parts of that do I not feel worthy of being an offering? Was what I cooked for my family the best, or even the medium of what I could have done? How about forgetting to pay the gas bill for the 8th day in a row? The hugs and kisses and encouragement I gave to my children certainly are good and worthy, but the grumbling and shouting could probably be trimmed off the "fatted calf." Did I spend too much time on the computer today, brushing my children away in favor of some mildly interesting story about someone else's life that I don't even know? Or did I grant my full attention to the skinned knee, the requests for play doh? Does it feel like God has done something amazing by giving me a strong willed, highly independent, curious stinker butt of a son who lets me rest not one moment of his waking hours? Not so much. But I know this child is a blessing, and that what grows out of my struggle to be a good parent to him is something "God is doing for me." (Gee, thanks. *snicker* *sarcasm*) How about interactions with my spouse? Did I say or do something for him today that made him feel loved? made his day brighter or easier? Or did I chose to get easily offended at some thing he said (or didn't say)? Did I fall prey to some pointless argument or discussion, lambasting or judging or criticizing another? Or did I contribute only helpful, truthful, grace-filled, loving commentary? Did I offer prayer? How about my thoughts? Did I dwell on the negative? Wallow in self pity? Listen to satan's lies? Beat myself up? Did I bask in His glory? Contemplate His goodness? Count my blessings? Offer my thanksgiving? Receive His Mercy and Grace? Accept forgiveness? Offer forgiveness?
So many interactions, so many actions that we don't consider. Every. single. minute. So many opportunities to tune into what God is doing or saying. So many times (like every minute of the day) I need to lean on Him for strength, wisdom and guidance. It's too easy to get caught up in all that I should do, beat myself up for my failings. Instead, I need to remember to continually turn my face to Him. Like a daisy towards the sun.
If my face is turned to him, I will worry less about all the big and small things. He's got them in his care.
If my face is turned to him, change will come, change I long for. My inside out will be made new.
If my face is turned to him, I will change, my family will change, my marriage will change.
If my face is turned to him, maybe others will look to see what I'm looking at.
That would be awesome.
If my face is turned to him, I will worry less about all the big and small things. He's got them in his care.
If my face is turned to him, change will come, change I long for. My inside out will be made new.
If my face is turned to him, I will change, my family will change, my marriage will change.
If my face is turned to him, maybe others will look to see what I'm looking at.
That would be awesome.
Deep breath.
Look to the Son.
Bask.
Rest.
Surrender.
