The Jordan River (wikipedia.com)
To cross from the Red Sea to the Jordan River on foot is about an eleven day trip. It took Moses and the Israelites 40 years to get to their promised destination. Why did it take so long?
Obedience...or rather, it was a lack of obedience.
The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years and some, including Moses never saw the Promised Land...the promise of peace and rest...
I struggle with time management. I never seem to have enough time. I am always late. Just a few weeks ago, I was pulled for speeding, because I was running late. The nice policemen gave me a 'warning.'
A warning.
I cried when he did...just cried! My children thought something was wrong. It prompted a lesson about mercy. Mom deserved the ticket...the punishment...but the policeman gave me some mercy. Just like the mercy the Lord gives us...we deserve the punishment, but in God's mercy, He sent His son to take the punishment for us by dying on the cross...I deserved that ticket...after all, I was speeding to go to 'Toy Story 3!"
This 'warning' began a search as to why I am always running and running and never seem to have enough time!
This 'warning' began a search as to why I am always running and running and never seem to have enough time!
I wonder if my running around in circles, always racing to the next thing, seemingly never having enough time is related to my lack of obedience.
If I were obedient, would each day feel like 48 hours instead of 8 hours?" I wonder. Either way, the Lord has brought me to ponder all of this for a reason. I plan to pray about it and continue to dig into His word. In my pride, I think, "How did the Israelites not obey after God parted the Red Sea and provided the manna?" The Lord gently reminds me that I am no different. He has blessed me beyond measure, of which I don't deserve. He rescued His people and saved them from slavery, and He plucked me from the life I lived as a slave to this world. I am no different.
Obedience. It is what I seek...and maybe I will cross that Jordan and find that little place of 'calm'...peace and rest!
Obedience. It is what I seek...and maybe I will cross that Jordan and find that little place of 'calm'...peace and rest!
The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. ~ Exodus 3: 7-10
I hope you have a peaceful and calm week! Slow down and check your speed!
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21 comments :
Christie...i can't begin to tell you how these thoughts have crowded my mind lately, especially this past week...your words are a soothing balm to my spirit...thank you...
may He bless you & keep you...
much loves J. ~ 7sisters
Oh, you brought memories to mind of a few years back. Throwing the kids in the car, trying to get to work on time, them to school & babysitter, go by the grocery store,.... it was a rat race. And I pray they have "sweet" memories. I have learned to slow & enjoy the "now", as age has crept in. I have let some things go on my "to do list". They may have moved down the list & been marked off. "Peace & Rest" only found in HIM.
This was beautiful and timely Christie! I did a Bible study last year about the life of Moses and it was so humbling. So many times I found myself feeling judgemental about the Israelites..."are they messing up AGAIN?"...and then I would feel God gently asking me how I was any different. They just had all of their mistakes recorded for all of us to read about! I keep thinking about how much I decide what is important about my day rather than what God thinks is important and necessary. Maybe if I ordered my thoughts and my time around that I wouldn't be running in circles either. :-)
Thank you for these words of truth today!
Vanessa
I wish blog posts had a "like" button. Enjoying your post and thoughts on obedience. I know I struggle with it in so many ways.
MickyD
It could also be a lack of gratitude for what we are given, misuse.
When all we are given is not accepted in gratitude for the gift it is, and the painful is a gift as well, then there is room for disrespect.
Love and respect of self come first...then the love and positive of that goes outward in the realm of how it effects others.
I know how it is to be late when children came into my life. I went from being a few minutes early to appointments, to sometimes just on the dot. I've readjusted that again, looking at why I made those choices for a time away from serenity.
Good post.
Thanks for posting this I so needed it today, I too run from here to there trying to fit it all in, I swear I'm busier now than when I had four little ones! Again thanks!
Rondell
Oh girl, you wouldn't believe how much God's been using this same analogy with me this last week or so. I even wrote in my journal yesterday, "3 days, 11 miles, 40 years!" It just rattles around up there all.day.long. I guess we just need to be still, and know.
Christie, I love this!!!! Me too, I'm going to slow down this week. Here's some inspirational reading for you about simplifying our lives to find greater strength and peace: http://classic.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1298-7,00.html
You'll have to tell me what you think!
Have a wonderful Sabbath!
xo, Maria
This post was so true. I also sometimes look at the Israelites and wonder why the questioned after all the miracles God had done for them. Then I realize that I too sometimes question also and I know what God had done for me. I am sooooooo glad that He loves us no matter what because we are so undeserving of His undying love.
www.chandrassouthernlife.blogspot.com
Oh, wow, now that I'm retired I cherish my time so much. I wonder if all those years of rushing when my children were young "damaged" them??I hope not but I used to try to squeeze 48 hours worth of stuff into 24 hours almost every day! Ridiculous, now that I look back! Slow down and savor each day!
Carol in GA
Hi Christie
What a wonderful post! You have written so beautifully about something I think we all feel now and then.
I have tried very hard to eliminate the phrase "I am so busy" from my life. I try to remember that I have the same 24 hours that the president, pioneer women with 9 children and no modern conveniences, and Jesus had!! It is an issue of obedience with me for sure. Thanks for the reinforcement!!
Sue
What a wonderful post. For years, I, too, thought,"how could they possibly wander around for 40 years?" Then suddenly after I hit 40 I realized that I had done the same thing. I, too, had been wandering around for 40 years!While I certainly don't claim to have my act completely together by any means, I can say that my priorities have drastically changed as I have gotten older.Thanks for pointng us in the right direction!
Hi Christie,
I loved this post. You are extremely talented, and so creative! I have found that there is so much good in the world, that sometimes it is hard to sift through it all to find what is the best! Otherwise we run too fast and get too burdened with so many good things, while we neglect some of the good that matters the most! The article in this post helped me a lot... (Link below)
http://thepinkpeonyoflejardin.blogspot.com/2010/11/akiane.html
Excellent post! Thank you for sharing this with us on Spiritual Sundays.
Great post and good reminder for us all...God bless.
This is wonderful and wise.
Thank you!
Wonderful post. I think we would all get were we are going much quicker if we would be obedient to God's word.
I think we all need to slow down a little. That policeman helped you teach your children a valuable lesson. Thank you for sharing your heart.
Blessings,
Charlotte
This post is so true. During my working years I tried to cram three days into one and looking back I feel like I lost time with my son. I was there physically but my mind was spinning wheels. You are very wise to slow down while you can enjoy being a mom.
Have a blessed day,
Annette
Hi Christie,
This is my first visit to your blog. As I read this post, I thought about the word Intervention. Sometimes a spiritual intervention occurs in our life and although it may not (on the surface) appear to be spiritual in nature, it most assuredly is.
It gives me a moment to ask God, "What's going on?" A spiritual intervention is an opportunity for me to grow in God's truth and grace.
Thank you for sharing this moment of your journey.
Sending a Happy Valentine's Day to you and family.
Blessings and peace.
MTJ
Love your speeding lesson on grace. How many times I deserved punishment from God and He has offered grace.
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