“Love the Lord your God with all your
heart,
and with all your soul and all your
mind.”
Matthew 22:37 (NIV)
I
recently had to attend a meeting on a Saturday at church. I had been indoors
for most of two weeks due to the weather. I did not really want to get out to
go to a meeting. I understand the scheduling issue involving people’s time.
This
meeting is an annual requirement set by the denomination. I tried putting it
out of my mind. I balked about getting out, I even prayed about not wanting to
go. I even thought of all the things I had put off doing do to some weather
related depression I had been through. Yes, I tried to use laundry, dishes and
cleaning house as ‘reasons’ for not going to this meeting.
I awoke
about two hours earlier than I intended. Hubby asked me why I wasn’t asleep.
All I could say was, “I woke up and don’t feel I can go back to sleep.” Then,
of all things, I told him about having to go to this meeting—the one I was
trying to get out of.
The
ironic part of all this is I spent time the evening before searching for
scriptures on love and obedience for this month’s blog entries. Yes, God has a
sense of humor.
I relate
this story to highlight the scripture verse. We are commended to love God
completely. While we see people say they love Him, we have God’s Word to tell
us that we must love Him with every fiber of our being (with ALL your heart,
with ALL your soul, and with ALL your mind.)
I got cleaned up, put on fresh clothes and prepared to go to
that meeting. I had to defrost the car before I left. (Hmmm, why didn’t I think
of that before, nahhh, God would have torn that one up, as well.)
(Later) I did
obey the Lord and attend that “class.” I learned several things that I might
need to know. Also, after the class dismissed, the leader invited us to have a
light breakfast. I chose to eat some fruit.
While I
was eating, a lady sat down beside me and shared something that was on her
heart, a circumstance of her family. We talked and she showed me pictures. I
told her I would pray for her family and for her.
As I
refine this entry, I realize that God placed me where He wanted me that day.
Hi Cecelia! Isn't it funny how God can get us right where he needs us, even if we don't want to go along?
ReplyDeleteYou're experience is really a confirmation for me. I always pray that I will go the right way, and follow God's will for me. And here you show that he will wake us up, and get where we need to be in spite of ourselves sometimes. That is Good News!
I'm so glad that you could offer prayer for that lady that sat with you. I know you gave her a lot of comfort!
Blessings,
Ceil
Ceil: Thank you for your thoughful comments. When we belong to the Lord, He does lead us to where He wants us. We are to follow Him wherever He leads us. It can be something we don't really want to do or think we can. I believe in His sovereignty and I accept it.
DeleteThe Lord really does have a sense of humor. :) I've often balked about something like that, my flesh not wanting to do something. When I don't want to go, I usually ask the Lord to help me be a blessing and then go, doing my best to be obedient. We don't always know how we might help or bless others till we get out there sometimes. .
DeleteWe have to learn to listen to God and to follow Him. I remember receiving an answer to prayer and then deciding to go the way I wanted to go. I always was amazed that my way was much harder and not as satisfying. There's His sense of humor, again.
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