It was a couple months ago and I was having one of "those" days. You probably know what I'm taking about. The kind where when about 9 in the morning you're reconsidering whether it was wise to have even gotten out of bed or not. There was nothing particularly wrong with the day. I felt fine. The sun was shining. But it was just one of those days when my to-do list was overwhelming me and I was all-consumed with the events of the day.
After dropping Chloe, my eleven-year-old, off at school, I began attacking my list. Laundry, dishes, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, organizing, planning for dinner, shopping and paying bills. I had books to return to the library, movies to return to the video store, shirts to drop off at the dry cleaners and tickets to pick up for the upcoming daddy daughter dance. Somewhere in the midst of all of this I had to remember to schedule an appointment to get the dog groomed, pick up a birthday gift for my nieces upcoming birthday party and reschedule a dentist appointment due to an overbooking conflict (their error). I had emails to respond to, homework to check up on and a meeting to prepare for all while trying to figure out IF and WHEN I might be able to get a shower in. (Tired yet even reading this??)
Aside from a few minor hiccups in my day, I managed to get everything on my list accomplished AND make a batch of chocolate chip cookies! Now - before you call me Superwoman, stop right here! In a hurry my lunch consisted of 2 of those cookies and a large Sprite. I'm pretty sure Superwoman would have had time to prepare a much more sensible meal for herself providing much more energy for the hecticness of the day!
When the kids arrived home later that day (my great niece and nephews were staying with us at the time) all they were really concerned about was "What's for dinner?" You see - they had arrived to a clean house. The came in to a vacuumed living room and a stocked pantry filled with food from the day's shopping trip to the market. They might have seen the mess that morning, but upon entering that house that afternoon, they came into a perfectly spotless environment.
What they didn't see was the work it took to get it like that. What they didn't realize was that their mama was working hard behind the scenes to make sure that they were taken care of. What they didn't see was that they had someone who cared so much for them that they were willing to sacrifice a day of sanity so that they could enjoy an evening of peace.
And it started me thinking... isn't that what our Heavenly Father does for us?
Think about it...
Think about all the work that is involved with making sure we are taken care of. Like that near-miss accident this morning on your way to work. That guy who swerved the center line just before passing you on the express way. Had you been a couple minutes earlier, he might not have missed you and things could have been so much different.
Or what about the storm that hit just as you arrived safely to your home?
Or all the green traffic lights you were able to hit on your way to the hospital to be with a loved one in an emergency?
You see God is constantly working behind the scenes to make sure we... His children... are taken care of.
He protects.
He provides.
He loves.
Oh how He loves!
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Exodus 33.
Moses was given clear instruction by God that he would be the one to lead God's people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. However, due to their disobedience and stubbornness, God was going to send an angel to travel with them. This displeased Moses and he responded to God saying, "If you don't personally go with us, don't make us leave this place." (vs 15). Moses knew how necessary it was for God to travel with them personally. He knew that God's presence among them set them apart from all other people on the earth. He knew that apart from God - he could do nothing.
Verses 20-23 just might be my favorite. These verses reflect God's amazing goodness as He changes his mind and decides to go personally with Moses on this journey.
"'But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.' The Lord continued, 'Look, stand near me on this rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.'”
Moses was told not to look at God's face directly because God's face shown so brightly that anyone who looked upon His face would surely die. God allowed Moses a glorious experience - and to see a glimpse of His glory - but He would not allow His face to be seen. Instead, He would show Moses His goodness, and express His character, marked above all by mercy and compassion.
God did something so compassionate in verse 22, it nearly brings me to tears... "I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by."
Oh friends! Isn't this Good News?? Isn't this just like our gracious Father to protect us in this way? Isn't this God's working behind the scenes on our behalf?
We are on His mind constantly. I do believe that.
Our protection, our well-being... they are always on His to-do list.
"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28)
He is working it out girlfriend! He's got this! Give it over to Him and allow Him to show off His mercy, grace and love!
Hugs!
Finding JOY in the JOurneY,
www.wendybender.blogspot.com
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