REST!
This week-end an unfortunate accident forced to hear a message from God. That message rang loud and clear, it is time for me to come aside to "rest". After a winter where I was largely confined to the house, I have felt like an uncaged bird and "have car, will travel" became my motto. I wanted to go everywhere and do everything. It’s not like the things I wanted to do were wrong – but they often sent me out early in the day and returning late in the afternoon. I was often missing my quiet time with God, justifying that I could do it later.
Later, for me, is never a good plan. Unless I begin my day coming into the presence of God, the day takes over and I never quite get around to doing it the same way later as when I do in the morning. The prophet Isaiah understood this:
8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26: 8-9 (KJV)
The Father not only wants us to serve Him, He wants us to spread the fragrance of His Presence throughout all the earth:
But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)
We all know that the perfume we spray on our bodies usually only lasts a few hours or at most a day. The next day we have to put more perfume on. If we are going to spread the sweet perfume of the knowledge of Christ, it is essential that we spray that perfume on us before we depart into the world (our day). For as Isaiah says, when the judgements of God are in the earth, then men learn righteousness. That perfume spray we get spending time with God early is the perfume of righteousness that we spread as we go about our day.
Maria