Weekend Contemplation #17
Monday: Before I jump to conclusions when things go wrong in my life, I should check my priorities. Have I been praying? Have I been cultivating my relationship with God? Am I too busy to think about Him? If I am, then I am busier than He wants me to be. He draws me to Himself in many ways, and reminds me to return to Him when I am forgetting that He should be my Priority. I should not be too busy to set time aside for God. God is not so much interested in the service as He is in the servant; in the ministry as He is in the minister; in the calling as He is in the called. In the same way, I should be more interested in Him than in any other person or thing or activity. He teaches me to keep my focus on Him while not forgetting to do His work. Worldly distractions should be set aside for the King who died and rose again to save me. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee (Proverbs 4:25).
Tuesday: The Lord is the only One who can prune and tend His garden, look after a house, so that it is good enough for Him. In my human condition, I just don’t qualify in my own strength, outside of the Blood of Jesus. However, when the Lord takes over, the house is occupied by His Spirit; the garden grows and bears fruit; there is rest and peace all around. I should not welcome any stranger into my heart – the Lord’s garden should be reserved for Him, and Him alone. A house, like a garden, is not usually a public setting where any stranger can come and do as he pleases. It is a place where one can be alone, after a long day’s work, spending quiet time in peace and meditation with one’s Love. I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse (Song of Solomon 5:1).
Wednesday: I cannot serve two masters, for either I will love the one and hate the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13). I cannot serve God and mammon. This verse, however, can also be taken to mean I cannot do two things at the same time. If I do, I will not do both things perfectly. God could have created the earth in one minute, with everything being done simultaneously, but He took His time in order to demonstrate to us that we should do the same. He then wisely said to me and to all His children: To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Eccl 3:1). Today and always, I should purpose in my heart to receive God’s mandate not to be careful and troubled about many things. I should receive His mandate to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10); to cast my cares unto Him (1 Peter 5:7), and to be transformed in the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2) instead of conforming to the fast-paced mode of multitasking. Jesus cares. He does. It is I who have been cumbered about much serving. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:40).
Thursday: It is a blessing for us to put our resources and means and energies toward the work of the Lord, but Jesus warns that this can be dangerous. Christ to Mary was above the serving, the meal, and even her own sister. That is who the Lord should be to me. If I realize and understand that one thing is needful, then I will not find myself plagued with the troubles and cares of many things. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment (Mark 12:30).
Friday:This week, I have learnt that the Lord is concerned about my priorities, and that if He is my topmost Priority, then everything will work out. I should not be concerned about many things and forget the one important thing. If I focus on what is important – on Who is important, the many things will sort themselves out in due course. The Word of God will give me strength to carry out the many things I need to do. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
Prayer: Father in heaven, thank You for these great lessons you have taught me in what could easily seem like a tiny and inconsequential passage of scripture. Thank You for your guidance and help and for Your patience with me. Help and teach me to realign my priorities so that they are conformed to Your own. Thank You for bringing me to yet another weekend. May I spend my time to Your glory and apply what You have taught me, in Jesus’ Name.
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