I’ve been chatting with you ladies every other Wednesday for a few months now, and I’ve attempted to be transparent. But, it’s time I come out the closet.
I can be a “Martha”.
You know, working, working, working and missing out on some of the moments I’m actually working for.
You, too? Come give me a hug, girl – we’re in this together!
Like you, I have good reasons for working so hard. I’m raising Godly girls, building a legacy, maintaining a home, nourishing a marriage, and so desperately trying not to skimp on my self-care and physical fitness. Not to mention quality time with friends and family, maintaining business relationships, and being available when the Holy Spirit nudges me to go, do, and be the hands and feet of God.
It’s a worthy list, but that doesn’t make it any less tiring. It certainly doesn’t make it more important than spending time at Jesus’ feet.
As you can see, I can take all the help I can get. So, when I read God’s love letter for me this morning, and it was perfect for a talk I’m giving next week, I practically had a sanctified seizure on my couch.
Yes, I am dramatic, and no, I’m not exaggerating. I kicked and squirmed like I had just been given a million dollars. I was in awe of God and how much He loves me.
Is God Winking at You?
I call these God winks.
Allow me to explain.
One day, I was rushing around (as usual – didn’t I say I was a Martha?), and though I had set aside enough time to prepare my food, I didn’t have enough time to sit and eat it. So, I put my plate in the microwave (where I often store food I plan to come back for), and hurried down the hall to get dressed. When I got into the car, guess what was sitting in my cup holders: an aluminum foil wrapped burrito and a thermos of ice cold sweet tea. I looked up at the door and my husband wasn’t there, but if he was, my eyes would have said, “Thank you!” And, his eye would have winked, “I got you.”
That’s what God did to me this morning. I opened up The Daily Message by Eugene H. Peterson, turned to today’s date, and there it was as clear as day: the Bible story that explained what I prepared to say. It was as if God had penned and hand-delivered it just to help me.
The Bible: God’s Personal Love Letters
Can I tell you a little secret?
I’ll bet you have a book of God’s hand-written love letters to you, too. It might be a little dusty, but it’s there.
It’s your Bible.
Maybe you’ve come to dread reading the Bible because it’s a bunch of names, dates, and weird stories. There was a time I felt that way, too! These simple tips helped me:
- Explore different versions.
If you use Bible Gateway to look up scriptures, they have a parallel tool where you can see the verse in a different version. I am partial to the Easy to Read Version (ERV) and The Message (MSG).
- Find a preacher that shares the Word in an exciting way.
I love when preachers and teachers are passionate about their subject matter. When a story really resonates with a person, they share it with such compulsion and excitement. My pastor makes the story come alive. It doesn’t sound like an outdated, irrelevant Bible story. It sounds like some of the things you and I are still doing today. This helps me to remember the Word long after the sermon is over, which consequently helps me to apply it.
- Pray before you read.
The Devil doesn’t want you to read the Bible, commit it to memory, and use it to enhance your life. If you find yourself always getting sleepy, unable to remember what you just read, or not applying it to your life to create lasting change – ask God to help you.
- Expect a solution.
When your phone starts acting up and you go get the manual, you flip through it with expectancy. You are expecting to find the answer to the problem you have. Replace phone with life and manual with Bible. You get, “When your life starts acting up and you go get your Bible, you flip through it with expectancy.” When you read the Bible, you should expect God to speak to you. Don’t read it just to say you did it. Read it because you fully anticipate that there is a tip, a prayer, a story that is the solution to your problem.
So, what’s the play call?
In our efforts to sow and water, sow and water, sow and water, let’s schedule in some time first thing in the morning to read God’s love letters to us. His letter has answers for our lives and for the lives of others.
