I’m sitting here waiting for a teleconference to begin. I will be responsible for taking meeting notes for this teleconference, that will last for the next 3 days. Three days of being on the phone, taking notes on a subject that is slightly over my head. Challenging. There has been a delay because the phone set up is not completed yet. I’m waiting for a notice over Skype that the connections have been completed, and then we will begin.
I’m a bit disappointed this morning, because I had set aside this specific morning to be a “Hide and Pray” day, at least for a couple of hours. You can read my post about that here. But I’m also reminded of a few things:
- My overwhelming gratitude to have employment. There are so many that are without jobs, or whose jobs are in jeopardy due to the economy, even with slight improvements of late. The gift of work is tremendous. The ability to provide for a family is also tremendous. Colossians 3:23-24 reads: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. This job I have now is one that I never imagined I would have. As I start this new career, I want to make this verse central in my work attitude and ethic.
- I am also reminded that even our best laid plans for a day can often get sidetracked. As someone who likes to plan out every day almost to the minute, I can easily get frustrated when “my plans” do not work out the way I want them to. Interruptions can become irritations, when in reality those interruptions could be designed by God, whose plans should always trump any plans I have.
- Because our days often do not go the way that we plan them, that makes our early morning (or late evening, if you are a night owl) routines even more important. Before the day gets away from me, I must first spend time in prayer and writing and scripture work. Even exercise, because if I don’t do it early, it won’t happen. When I don’t do these disciplines, I quickly become goofed up. When I don’t do this for several days in a row, it spells disaster. I know this, and yet I still fail. Psalm 46:10 reads: Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. I am rarely still during my day, but before the day, I can at least try to be still.
I want to leave you with the song below, titled “Before the Day” by Newsong. This is an important song that speaks to Psalm 46:10. If you would like to spend time with God before your day begins (or when your day ends) and you are not sure how to get started, you can email me at sduffer1@gmail.com, and I’ll try to assist you by sharing some of the things that have worked for me. I’m certainly no expert, and there is not a magic formula. There are many days that I practice spiritual disciplines and still end up unsettled by life. But that said, I do know the difference that it makes in my own life and would love to share that with you.