While washing dishes I stumbled across a playful metaphor as I stood, feet and back aching, staring at the last little bit in my sink. The silverware. Exhausted, I was tempted to just give up and say, "I'll take care of these later. It's not really that much anyway..." as I had so often done before. It really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. I mean, what is thirty pieces of silverware compared to the plates, cups, pots, and pans I had just finished scrubbing? Compared to the fifteen minutes that I had spent cleaning the rest, what was another two? I mean, individually, these things are small and wouldn't take more than three seconds to wash. What it is about this task that draws me away after all that I had already invested? It just seemed so tedious, repetitive, and boring. The big stuff was really no biggie because progress was easy to see and results were more satisfying, but these... this compilation of many little things, was it really just too much? Or was it not enough? Was it not enough of a challenge to satisfy my quest for accomplishment? Was it a simple nagging inconvenience? Or was it just to trivial and insignificant to warrant my attention?
Perhaps this is why many grow away from the Christian faith after being redeemed and receiving the indwelling of the Spirit?
Prayer.
Bible study.
Church attendance.
The simple foundation works of our faith. Individually they are small in the grand scheme of things yet are they such HUGE tasks that we cannot seem to find the time in a day to devote to them? Or is it something deeper?
Prayer may take less than five minutes or more than thirty depending on the situation. Why do so many slack of in prayer; real communication with a real and living God?
Bible study could be as simple as taking a Psalm, or even one meaty verse, and meditating on it throughout the day with the initial investment being less than five minutes as well. Why do so many never seem to find the time to open their Bibles during the day?
Church attendance is a good thing at the right church. Uplifting, edifying, even convicting at times. During the one hundred and sixty eight hours of the week, church may request but a measly three, maybe four hours of your time? Yet, so many can't find the time to go even when they are off of work. Now, present them with tickets to a main attraction and that may prove a different story. Suddenly they will move mountains to be able to go. ;-)
So what is it about these small, seemingly insignificant things that make it so formidable and time consuming that time in a day is naught to be found?
Perhaps it goes back to the heart of the matter.
Perhaps prayer seems so unfulfilling and unrewarding because results are not immediate and noticeable.
Perhaps Bible study seems so insignificant because we already know how to live a good life, right?
Perhaps church doesn't seem so important because, well, what does one miss by skipping an hour of preaching, really?
OR
Perhaps it's just that simple underlying heart matter.
When I wash dishes for my family, there is a little part of me that does it so that my husband will come home and see that, hey, I did the dishes! That little part of me that wants him to reach for a clean plate, bowl, or cup and find it, then think of me. In a small, almost unnoticable way, I do it for....
ME....
So that when it comes down to the seemingly insignificant parts of the whole, what does it really matter? They are so small, my husband probably wouldn't even notice if some of the forks and spoons and such weren't washed, so what is the point? Why go through three more minutes of feet and back aching chores if no one will really care?
The difference is, I can SEE my husband and his reaction to my accomplishments, else some days I likely wouldn't do things at all! My husband is also flesh and blood man (surprise!) so he doesn't always see everything, and likewise doesn't always take notice of my intentions in his heart.
Our Lord is another story. He, I can't physically see. Not yet at least. I do not get the luxury of seeing His all knowing, all seeing reactions to my work for Him. Maybe this is why all these "big" little things always seem to take a back burner, that heart matter, that I won't get recognition, so what's the point?
Perhaps I need a little less me and a little more HIM in my daily walk.
I can find time to play on the PC (Facebook), blog, and all, but I can't find time for God? Really?
If I have learned anything in life, one thing is that we never have time for anything that we don't MAKE time for, and we never make time for anything unless it is important to us.
Perhaps we just need to do a little priority rearranging coupled with a little humbling thought, with faith the God DOES see the bigger picture, and rewards as is deserved in due time. It's not about me, not really. It's all about
"Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
That child that was born in Bethlehem. The King of the whole world who made Himself flesh, born of woman, so that He might redeem mankind back to His bosom. That King who humbled Himself to a servant's dirty work, and who walked that bloody path the Calvary to be made a curse being hung on a tree for ME, even when I cursed Him and hated Him.....
It's about Him.
And if the Creator of the heavens and the earth can wash His disciples feet without accepting anything in return, I can most certainly wash those spoons and forks and such with a joyful heart.
And if my Lord and Savior can spend those agonizing hours in prayer that night in Gethsemane, sweating blood for MY cause, even as I was about to crucify Him and spit in His face with my filthy sin, then I can most certainly make time for THE most important person in the entirety of creation in the form of prayer, Bible study, and church attendance.
Because it's all for HIS glory, not mine. I want JESUS to be glorified in the works of my hands, not myself. And if Jesus can receive glory for me finishing the task that I start, as He finished His work on the cross at Calvary, then that is something I can work for.
"She... worketh willingly with her hands" (Excerpt from Proverbs 31:13)
No comments:
Post a Comment