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silence

"It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His (tender) compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.". Lamentations 3:22-23 (Amplified Bible)
I so very much appreciate the gift of "morning mercies" from a loving Father.

No matter how much I messed up the day before, I get a fresh start every morning. Because I have acknowledged my sin, He has blotted it out with His blood and each day I begin with a clean page in my Book of Life.

He wakes me each morning, and hands me a new day--a new opportunity to get it right. As we go over the schedule for the day, He deletes and adds to the agenda as He pleases. Each time an appointment is cancelled, I see His hand in it. Each time an unexpected call puts a demand on my time, I know He has arranged it. Because I am His, He has every right to manage my days, therefore all my plans are written in pencil...easily erased and changed.

Each day is different. He is a God of variety. Some days are for work, some days for play and some days for rest.

I realize I was created to work. In Ephesians 2:10 we read; "For we are God's (Own) handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time), that we would walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.)" (Amplified BibIe)

I am also aware that He is responsible for the plan each day. My part is to obey His leadership. When He initiates the plan, He also provides everything necessary to carry it out--strength, finances, time. All I'm asked to provide is me. However, if I initiate the plan, I'm on my own and I have no guarantees of success or provision. In His great love He has "bailed me out" of situations that I initiated that were not His plans but seemed to be a good idea in my own eyes. Yet, at other times, He has let me reap the consequences of my actions. He has taught me about "hastiness".

He says that I need to play.

The word "recreation" actually means what it says; the act of re-creating. Why do we need to be recreated? Because we live in a fallen world that drains us. The enemy can't touch our spirits, but daily he wars against our bodies and souls. His strategy is to wear us down so that we spend all our time just trying to get through our days. He saps our strength and steals our joy. We become battle weary and we begin to walk in our emotions instead of our spirits.

In Proverbs 15:15 we read; "All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil (by anxious thoughts and forebodings), but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast (regardless of circumstances).". Again in Proverbs 17:22 the scriptures remind us; "A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.". Ecclesiastes 3:4 exhorts us that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh. We humans, made in the image of God, are the only creatures on earth that have been granted the gift of genuine laughter. It renews our souls and releases the tension from our bodies. We need a time to play...to be refreshed...to laugh heartily...to be recreated. Play days are not wasted time as the enemy would try to convince you, some days are designed for play!

 

And some days are designed for rest. Some days are for calling a halt to everything that isn't a life or death priority. We overestimate our need for activity and underestimate our need for rest. Rest is another word for "stop"! The Lord says, "Be still and know that I am God.". In Psalm 46:8-11 the sons of Korah, who were chief musicians in the kingdom, were aware of the chaos, violence and war that surrounded them on every front. They were also aware that in themselves they were powerless to change anything, therefore, they made the choice to acknowledge the Almighty One by being still. They made the decision not to focus on all the frightening things with which their enemy threatened them and instead to cease all activity and seek Him with all their being. God longs for our undivided attention. It is in silence, we hear Him best.

Many years ago, I heard Pat Robertson speak of his weekly sabbaths. He said, he simply walked out the back door and laid down in his hammock. Part of the time he read, part of the time he napped, and part of the time he simply talked to his Father about everything that was on his mind and heart. He said that many times he received answers and solutions to things he had been pondering on his own for days. God had been talking all week, but Pat couldn't hear him clearly because of all the other voices that were clamoring for his attention.

Mankind was never intended to be on the go 24/7.

Before the advent of electric lights and automobiles, man knew it was time to rest when the sun went down. However, today, we foolishly refuse to stop until our bodies are utterly exhausted and our minds are on the verge of a mental breakdown. Instead of taking a paid vacation, we work on and decide to take the money instead of the time. We pack every waking hour with as much activity as possible. Stress from lack of rest continually takes it's toll on us no matter how many vitamins we ingest or how many hours we spend at the gym.

All our days are a gift from a loving God...some designed for work, some designed for play and some for rest.

"So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

Recommended Reading
Redeeming The Time
Chuck D. Pierce

With love from my seat at the Harvest Table,

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Shirley

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