Wander Woman

Last nights Ladies Meeting was so timely for me.  I was encouraged and motivated.  The topic was: Devotions or Devotion; Duty or Delight.  As you already know, spiritual training has not been a priority for me and I desire to change.  I want nothing more than to bring glory to God in all I do.  I was brought to tears several times while we were being taught.  I don’t think it was luck that I won a 30 day devotional at the end of our meeting.  I believe it was God’s love and care for me.  I walked in late, after everyone was already seated, and sat down by a friend because of her invite.  God knew I needed that devotional and He led me to the seat with the special sticker on it.  He is so good and kind.  I definitely didn’t deserve it.  You would think after last nights discussion that I would rise early excited to read the Word of God but, I didn’t it.  I failed again.  I learned last night that I need God far more desperately than my body needs sleep.  Piper said in his book When I don’t Desire God: “I earnestly recommend that your devotional time be in the early morning, unless there are some extenuating circumstances.  Entering the day without a serious meeting with God, over His Word and in prayer is like entering the battle without tending to your weapons.  It’s like taking a road trip without filling the tires with air or the tank with gas.  The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep.  The body does, but not the heart.  The spiritual air leaks from our tires, and the gas is consumed in the day.  We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer.  Thousands of saints have discovered throughout the centuries that starting the day by filling the mind with the Word of God will bring more joy and more love and more power than traveling on yesterday’s gas.”  Spurgeon said, “It is a good rule to never look into the face of man in the morning till you have looked into the face of God.”  WOW!  Lately, I feel like more times than not, my days have been like a battle.  Especially, when it comes to relating to my children.  I know that if I made time with the Lord the first thing I did every morning, I would be better equipped to handle the trials and struggles that come my way each day with my children.  My weapons would be ready.  I cannot live in my own strength.  I become uptight, anxious, annoyed, and resentful towards the very ones God has given me to serve.  This is when I started to cry last night.  I need God’s help desperately.  I can become preoccupied with earthly matters (homeschool perfection, “to-do” list, etc…) and become angry and demanding to those around me.  These things don’t matter most.  Mueller said, “Our hearts will be comforted, encouraged, warmed, reproved, and instructed by giving ourselves to the reading and meditation of God’s Word.  If meditation is not a practice in our life we will never know God’s greatness and glory.  I want to know it.  It is amazing to me that He accepts us, not because of what we do for Him, but because of what He’s done for us in Christ.  Nothing I can do can make Him love me more.  Carolyn Mahaney said, “My justification is found in Christ’s finished work on the cross - regardless of when I get up.  My righteousness comes only from Him, and my joy must be found only in Him.”  There will be days when circumstances prevent us from rising early.  We should try to find another time to fit our quiet time in and then go back to our original routine as soon as possible.  We should not, however, feel condemned.  I want my soul to be happy in God as the result of a consistent, daily devotional life.  Pray for me as I continue to try to make reading of God’s Word the most important thing I do.

Thank You Rhonda for teaching us last night.