Our
life is often filled with stress, anxiety, overwork and overwhelming events. We
overly schedule our time, enroll our children in way too many activities, and
volunteering with so many events that we get impatient and impoverished in body,
soul and spirit.
There
is no room for creativity, free play and thoughts and fun, purposelessness, and
rest for us or our children. When was the last time you went to the park to
play, had a family game night at home, enjoyed swimming at the lake, took an
aimless stroll on a nature path to discover the treasures God puts there for us
to enjoy, etc.?
Our
Father is Creator of the Universe and His creativity manifests itself in and
through each of us, just like it does in daily sunrises and sunsets. He leads
us to sew clothes, write a book, throw a party, repair a broken bike or
lawnmower, paint a picture, knit a blanket, invent a new app, discover a
scientific breakthrough, design websites, make a craft, etc.
God
created us as human BE-ings, not as human DO-ings. There is no mandate for us
to be productive with every moment of our life. If we are, then we squeeze
God's plans for us right out of our life (Ephesians 2:10), and we neglect our
times of prayer, praise and devotion to our King.
We
may gather worldly accolades, vocational success, a large bank account, growth
in our ministries, etc. along the way, but what are we sacrificing to get them?
Are we striving too much to gain favor with God or the world? Do we have peace,
joy, and rest in the Lord? Even God rested on the seventh day.
Prayer:
Father
God, help us to allow Your creativity to flow through us as we follow Your path
for our life (Ephesians 2:10). We want to make the events of our day as acts of
obedience and worship to You. Remind us to pause and rest between and during
each endeavor, so that we can hear Your voice directing us on what to do next and
how best to do it in Your way and timing.
Teach
us to work smarter, not harder and longer; so we can move more slowly and enjoy
Your presence in everything we think, say and do. We want to enter into Your
rest each moment of our day and to focus on obedience rather than on
productivity and worldly success. We want to live as a praise to Your name for
Your glory.
Thought
for the Day:
God
shows us how to create, to enjoy life, and to rest in Him through each moment
of our day, as we are led by His Spirit in His eternal plans for our life.
