In EVERY situation....


I just received a phone call and I can't even tell you what a relief it was.  You know those moments when you don't even realize how stressed or worried you were about something until things fall into place.... and THEN you fall apart?  It reminds me of the sweet videos circulating on youtube of the military fathers coming home to their children and the children melting into tears at the sight of their daddies.  


So, let me back up.... In July, my third child was born.  A month later, I was barely beginning to get into the groove of having three children when Hurricane Irene hit and flooded us out of our house.  And I'm not talking a couple of inches... the water hit the ceiling of the first floor of our home.  Thankfully we had enough warning and had been able to move all of our belongings out, but in an instant we were displaced.  For a week my husband searched tirelessly for a place for us to live until we could figure out what we were going to do.  The Lord provided a beautiful home for us to rent... just at the end of 7 days.... when I was about to lose it (going to restaurants to use the bathroom and nursing my baby in our car was beginning to get to me... not to mention my 6 and 4 year old children who were needing some sense of normalcy).  


Knowing we were in this house temporarily, we only unpacked the kitchen and necessities for our bedrooms and living areas.  In the midst of house hunting,  I had been trying to get my kids back on a normal schedule with our home-schooling, with meals, and regular household obligations.  We found a house in October and began the process of obtaining a mortgage.  Everything was moving along very smoothly until the final week leading up to our closing date.  Then one thing after another happened to make me wonder if this was really the move the Lord would have us make.  That brings us to last night.


I was at a women's event for our church and at the end, I just really felt the need to have a precious friend of mine pray for me.  I went to talk with her but there were a few people already waiting, so I decided to just go on home.  I took a few detours before getting to the door and as I was heading that direction, my friend was heading toward me to go out the door as well.  I grabbed the opportunity to ask her to pray.  This sweet woman of God prayed a prayer that just seemed to wash over me and be exactly what I needed... as if the Holy Spirit was interceding for me through her (which is exactly what was happening).  More than anything she prayed for a season of peace for me and my family.  I embraced that and was holding on to it for the rest of last night and into this morning.  I just kept reflecting on her prayer and believing that is what God has for our family for now.  


I look around.  Our entire house is in boxes.  Poised to move.  And we CANNOT get a commitment from the lender.  I have been feeling like our life is on pause.  And we can't move forward on anything until we are settled in our permanent place.  So I just began fervently presenting my request to the Lord.  Basically begging Him.  Lord, please, let us be able to move this week.  About 2 minutes into that prayer, the phone rang.... it was our mortgage broker... we are set to close on Thursday.  I burst into tears on the phone with her, shouting Thank You Jesus!  And when I hung up I just began to cry.  Sweet tears, to my sweet Jesus.  He is so good to me.  The reality of Phil. 4:6 hit me then.  I have been hesitant to pray specifically that the Lord would move in this situation because it seems so insignificant in comparison to other things I devote my prayer time to.... orphans in Sudan, friends that are in need of healing, someone anxious about a miscarriage.... but His Word says "in EVERY situation, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.."  I tend to minimize my requests because there are so many others out there that are so much more important, but that's not the point.  


The point is that we have a sweet and GOOD Father who longs to be gracious to us if we would just bring our requests to Him.  And every once in a while I need to be reminded of that.  And perhaps, so do you.

To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice

I asked GraceAnna to take a shower this morning.  She ran off to play with her brother.  Twenty minutes later, I asked her again to get in the shower.  She got distracted again and went to play with Malachi.  I got distracted too and went about doing things in the house.  About an hour later, I realized Grace still had not obeyed.  I called her in where I was sitting and asked her again to please go take a shower.  She laid in my lap and began telling me how much she loved me.  She played with my hair, she kissed me, she hugged me..... she didn't obey me.  Now, I really don't think she was being manipulative - I think she was sincere.  However, in the face of her disobedience, I didn't care much about her adoration or praise of me.  I wanted her obedience!

I have been disturbed recently by the out-of-balance-ness of people who just want to "worship" Jesus all day.  It's all they talk about, it's all they want to do.... "I just want to LOVE Jesus and worship Him", they say.  And they are very sincere.  They watch youtube videos of praise and worship in all of their spare time.... even to the point that they are not getting their chores or homework or other day-to-day responsibilities done.  Is this pleasing to the Lord?  Does Jesus desire our worship to the exclusion of our obedience?  No, He does not.  

In the last conversation Jesus has with his disciples before His death and resurrection, he mentions obedience to His commands 9 times.  (John 13-17) Many times, phrased like this, "IF you love me, THEN obey my commands."  I would dare to say that all that time spent worshiping Jesus in your bedroom, or watching or listening to praise music, would be better spent in His Word, learning WHAT His commands are, and in prayer, asking Jesus to help you obey Him.  And then DOING it.  Stop talking, start doing.  

Just like with my daughter.... I would much rather have had her obey my request immediately, than have her sit there with me and "adore" me.  The PROOF of our love for Jesus is not in HOW well we worship/sing to Him, but in how well we OBEY Him.  Get in His Word!  No praise song can be an adequate substitute to Scripture.