As I reflect back on the theme of my heart last year, I feel that the Lord was teaching me how to trust Him more deeply ~ in each and every situation ~ the good, the bad and the ugly. And as I've paid attention to my heart these first few days of the New Year I've noticed a natural tendency towards stress and intensity. This seems quite strange since I don't have "anything I have to do." Obviously, my daily life has responsibility and in many ways I'm my own boss, but apparently I'm a tough taskmaster. But as I went through Daily Prayer this morning, I was overwhelmed by God's invitation towards a different way of living in the midst of the real world. Since I've learned to trust that His heart towards me is good, then what... how can that affect my daily life? And I realized that the answer to that is that I have a different taskmaster: Christ.
Here are some of the verses from Daily Prayer that encouraged me that this exchange is worth it:
Here are some of the verses from Daily Prayer that encouraged me that this exchange is worth it:
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.
In the past, I have seen the reality of me trying to build my own house and it truly was in vain (Draw Me a Map) but in the last 3 years, I've experienced the sweet reality of letting the Lord build my marriage and it is beautiful; watching how Christ has put us together to work together in a way that brings life, love and beauty to each other, to our family and to His kingdom.
Psalm 127:2
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives sleep to his beloved.
I love sleep, especially refreshing sleep. But this verse especially reminded me of His invitation to us to be called His Beloved. Since I am His Beloved - it should and does make a difference in how my life is guided, directed and lived out.
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
These verses captured the cry of my heart for this year. A satisfied child leaning quietly, in satisfied trust against her mother. The lessons learned from the past year, on how to trust that God's heart towards me is good, truly good is the groundwork that was laid to begin the act of resting.
Then she said, ‘May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.’
14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine.’ So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.
In the book of Ruth, Boaz is a foreshadowing picture of Christ and as I read this passage, I was overwhelmed by the picture of communion as a response to Ruth's cry for favor. "Take the bread and dip it in wine." She eats, until she is satisfied and then has some left over. Every Sunday at my church, before we go up to communion we hear the words:
Take and eat
this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on
him in thy heart by faith, with thanksgiving.
These words remind me that participation in communion is a reminder that Christ and His presence is daily needed and available for my sustenance and satisfaction. Looking at this picture of Boaz coming to Ruth in the middle of her work day and giving her everything she needs and more is a beautiful picture of what Christ does for us ~ today.
These verses have overwhelmed me with joy to release the reigns of today to the right taskmaster. The verses from Ruth show me that Christ can come in the middle of my day and satisfy. His reality and His presence weaves into every moment: the building of my house, the work of my hands, my sleep, my relationships and my meals.
Thank you Christ for who you are today.
________
If you are looking for a way to get into the word of God this year, Daily Prayer has been a beautiful way that I have been able to engage in the Word, in a life-giving way. Because I love it so much, I have added their feed to the bottom of my website. But no matter what - know that He loves you and that He will walk with you today.
In Christ,
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