Purity: In quietness I find my strength

The day awakens early and I feel that I am not quite ready for it. I lay in the quiet and can see just beyond the darkness, the sun waiting to push into full view. One small chirp from an eager early-riser, I turn over trying to quiet my mind back to sleep. It does not take long for the rush of "things" to begin to fill my head. The lists and questions, the overwhelming amount of work waiting just at the end of the bed.

Oh Father, how do I remain undivided and available to You when even here in the early quiet hours so much seems to distract? It is like a beautiful song being played that rushes to it's climax, the notes continually rolling into one another. I can feel the need for the meter to slow down and for it to come to a place of rest.

All that I "need" to do continually rolls into each other and my day is full before my feet have hit the cool floor. I want only to have time to do what it is that You are asking me... Life needs to be done at the same time: laundry, chores, quiet time, school work, time for play and creativity, reading, encouraging, ministry, writing, organizing, cooking

You have given me this home to care for, this life to make it count for You alone! Oh how I do not feel as though I am always "set apart" for Your purposes. Help me to see the beauty in being an eager early-riser. Starting with my best for You. Before the pull of the day begins to take it's toll and my mind is lost in this list of life needs.

I must purpose to start my day blameless, set apart only unto You. As the sun begins to eagerly rise up from the horizon, I am so peacefully aware of Your mercies that are new every morning! They surround me with a freshness that can only be found in Your presence. Oh Lord, I pray that I will start there, remain there and end there~ which will prove to be true in saying I never left You. You say in Your word, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:2) How could it be that I would leave You? My one place of safety and peace. I so often wear out from the life that beckons me to come meet it's needs, yet in You alone I will find a steadfastness that will keep me strong to not grow weary.

I do not rise up on eagles wings within my own might and strength, but rather in the shadow of Your wings. May my eyes see the beauty of purely living in refuge of Your wing. You...so faithful and blameless, so pure and holy, so available to me. Thank you precious Savior~

Purity: Distractions

2 Corinthians 11:3 says, "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."

Paul's father-like heart for the Corinthians was concerned that they were being led astray and adding to the simple truth of Christ. I don't think that sounds too far off from where we are today. In all the things this world has to offer that we think simplify our lives, we actually find distractions and complications.

Do you remember our definition for purity? uncontaminated, blamelessness, undivided, uncompromised

Today we are going to park at undivded. I know that we have all heard before not to divide our allegiance to Christ, or not to lose our first love. I am afraid we have become a bit calloused to those ideas, because so much in the world is accepted. How is it I wonder that we have lowered the standard to include "socially accpetable" things, just because we see other believers doing the same things.

It is true that each believer must make decisions for themselves about what they will or will not do concerning things such as drinking, watching R rated movies, etc... But I am going to be bold in saying that I think the idea of being undivided in our thoughts, heart and actions applies to everyone! So then we have to ask, is there really room for all that other stuff?

The pursuit of Christ is an on-going process that each of us will grow, stumble, get set back straight and continue on and on through-out our life. Paul tells us that it is simple and pure.

My question for all of us today, is what do I do to "complicate" my devotion to Christ? What do I do that causes me to be "divided" with my time for Christ? He gets the best of us! (Notice I didn't say "should get the best") There is no time to waste in today's world to be divided on the issue of devotion to Christ.

Make a list of what you do tomorrow starting first thing in the morning. Then go back and look at where you could have made a different choice that would have simplified your life and left room for God. Where did you leave room to really be "available" for Him and His purposes? I understand that the world puts many demands on us and that lives are just plain complicated at times. My point here is that we do not need to add to those complications~emotionally, mentally, or physically.

It's time to clean up and move out all that that divides our hearts for Christ. Trust me, this will take some time praying and really evaluating our lives. Changes like these do not always come easy, but they definitley take that stance that you are choosing to continue in your "simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" rather than be led astray.

Stand firm on what you know is good for you and what God is asking of you. Do not be swayed by outsiders, who sometimes can mean good, but really just add to the confusion in our minds. Go to God and ask Him before seeking counsel from friends, parents, a spouse or boyfriend. Although they can have good intentions, they can also be a distraction to us really hearing directly from God what He wants for us!

James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

For His Purpose Alone

I recently mentioned in this post that God was at work in my heart about staying home full-time. In the previous mentioned post I wrote about trusting God, because having me work less really doesn't sound like a good idea in today's world. But, at the same time I also knew that He would make a way, because this was His desire for me.

Well, I didn't mention this before, but this has been my hearts desire ever since our oldest was born nearly 5 1/2 years ago. I love to be home, I love home-making and taking care of my husband and children. I really have not liked having my day end by 3:00pm each afternoon in order to go to work and find care for the boys and the list goes on.

So, deep in my heart saying "yes" to God really wasn't that hard for me, but circumstances made it seem more difficult. Now, fast forward one month and here we are today. What has God done?

He freed up our finances in such a way that I do not need to work~ Yes, amazing I know. I can most often be found still speechless. This morning I was talking to God and listening and He made it so evidently clear that yes, this was a desire of my heart, but He had done all of this for His purpose alone.

He made the path so clear, so brightly lit with neon lights for me to be home 100%, I can say, "Only by the hand of God." You see in the midst of HIS great plan, He also found a way to encourage the deepest part of my heart and remove a source of stress to me. He found a way to gently lead me directly down the path He intends for me to be walking.

And you know the most beautiful part of it to me is that He has rendered my heart speechless, except for the song of praise I have continually sung since the day He did this amazing work on our behalf. Do you remember me saying recently in this post that God always gives us what we don't deserve? Well, that is exactly the kind of God I serve and I am humbled that He would work in such a detailed way to bring about HIS purposes in my life while also blessing me beyond what I could imagine.

Thank you God for showing me that this was not about me, but it was all about You! You are not concerned that I am comfortable (so to speak) or that I get all I would like to have in life, rather you are concerned with the state of my heart. You are also concerned with my focus being on doing that which matters most to You! What is really amazing is that when You choose, You are capable of setting me firmly on the path You desire, while also making my joy complete in You alone. Thank you, I do not have the words....