If you walked into our family room right now, you might think we stopped in the middle of putting away Christmas decorations. You might assume I don't enjoy housework, and while I don't claim to be a model housekeeper, I can't stand a mess for very long, even in the name of creativity or progress. However, after Christmas this year I had a decision to make: shove Christmas back in boxes and shove boxes back in the storage room on top of everything else the movers shoved in there OR take my time and start finding out what's where and organize the room so we know where to find what we need when we need it. As much as I would love to get those red Rubbermaids out of the family room, I opted to take my time and do this the right way as long as I can stand "the right way." When you have plenty of storage you tend to store plenty. Our house in Daphne, though modest, had such great storage that there was one closet we rarely used though the others were packed to the brim. We started weeding out our stuff before we moved, but it's time to take it to a new level. Whether or not you would recognize progress, I see amazing progress even if it's happening at a snail's pace.
If you looked in my heart and mind right now you might think God and I have stopped in the middle of a remodeling project. You might wonder "Why the mess?" when God's been working on me for 35 years. Frankly, I've shoved a lot of stuff in the back of the storage room that I haven't really taken the time to weed out or re-evaluate in a while. I know there are boxes I've forgotten and boxes I need to forget. Taking into account that God never uses shortcuts and always does things "the right way" we'll be in this productive mess for quite some time. When He gets me alone, He gently pushes back the lids and helps me see what we need to work on and throw out while guiding me through the long process of storing all the treasures He wants me to keep.
"It is slow work, so slow that it takes God all time and eternity
to make a man and woman after His own purpose. The only
way we can be of use to God is to let Him take us through the
crooks and crannies of our own characters. It is astounding
how ignorant we are about ourselves! We do not know envy
when we see it, or laziness, or pride. Jesus reveals to us all that
this body has been harbouring before His grace began to work."
(Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, January 12th).
Father, thank You for Your eternal patience with me. Help me be patient with myself. Lord, You are with us whether we're going or remaining. We pray more about the "going" but I ask You to fill us with courage to "remain" alone with You so You can make progress in us. Intimacy can be a little frightening since that's when You "explain everything" (Mark 4:34) to us. Sometimes it's just easier to leave difficult truths for later. Our heart's desire is to let You have Your way with this day, whatever that brings. Strengthen and equip us moment by moment. Help us let You throw out the storage boxes of grudges, pride, darkened thinking, apathy and ignorance. Fill those places with Your Light and Glorious Presence and may Your fruit bloom through us.
In the Name of Jesus Who held only what You, His Father, placed in Him
"The LORD replied, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" Exodus 33:14
"Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. if a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." John 15:4-7
Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling
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