Read His Words Before Ours!
Esther 4:14-16
Matthew 25:1-13
Matthew 25:31-46
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
Ephesians 5:15-21
Screenshot, Day 15
I came upstairs after my workout, glancing at the clock as I tiptoed through the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee. Perfect. I had fifteen minutes to savor that sacred nectar of quiet and get in some Jesus time before the kids woke up.
Passing by the baby monitor, I saw my youngest conked out, sleeping on her tummy with her little tushie up in the air. I stirred some stevia into my coffee and headed to the living room. My seat touched sofa cushion . . . and the baby started talking.
Really?? Really??
My fifteen minutes became three as I chugged a scalding half a cup, scanned a paragraph of verses in Ephesians, and offered up a hurried prayer.
{I share this vignette not to complain about motherhood, as I’m deeply grateful for my three healthy, nutty children. Rather, I’m attempting to give you a glimpse into this season of my life.}
In retrospect, I chuckle at the whole situation, as, I’m sure, do my fellow mamas.
But you don’t need to have kiddos to relate. Maybe you sit down to your laptop to pull up your devotional and an urgent email pops up. Maybe the delivery or repair person calls to say he’ll be there in five minutes. Maybe your dog chooses that moment to pee on the carpet, jump the fence, or dig out of the yard.
Whatever the reason, we’ve been there! Some days are for deep introspection, pages of journaling, flowing, heartfelt prayers, and creating detailed action plans.
And some days just aren’t.
This day just wasn’t.
Given that, I found my mind returning to the morning’s passage, Ephesians 5:15-21.
I was puzzled. . . in an I-have-30-seconds-to-think-about-this-while-putting-the-laundry-in-the-dryer kind of way.
The section’s heading in my Bible read “consistency in the Christian life,” and the verses encourage us to live holy lives, as time is short and the days are evil. In my less-than-focused mindset, I wondered at the relationship between consistency and the certain knowledge of Jesus’ imminent return.
Certainly, a life set apart to God is a worthy calling for all believers. But, as I continued to mull over His words, I felt Him shedding a different light on this exhortation, drawing connections between parts of Scripture I hadn’t previously understood to be related.
Matthew 25:1-13 promises the second coming of Jesus, urging us to live expectantly. This theme is echoed later in the chapter (v. 31-46), as Jesus uses the metaphor of a shepherd separating sheep from goats to illustrate the certain and eternal consequences of our acceptance or rejection of His loving sacrifice on our behalf.
Jesus is returning.
Whether we’re ready . . . or not.
Therefore, the time is now.
Not that dangerously nebulous and falsely-comforting someday.
Someday, when I’ve taken the right classes and know the buzz words and can devote hours to study and meditation.
Someday, when my kids are grown and I can finish a thought.
Someday, when my work is established and my future security is certain.
Dear sisters, let’s learn from the virgins and the goats. Let’s avoid the siren song of someday, lulling us into complacency and ineffectualness. The time is now.
The time for considering our own salvation is now.
Do you have questions about what it means to admit that we’ve all messed up and to accept the forgiveness and grace made possible by the propitiatory death of Jesus? Sister, that’s cool! This is a big, potentially confusing, and vitally important topic.
Would you like to talk with someone about your questions in a space that’s safe and judgement-free? Drop a comment and it would be an honor for someone from our community to reach out to you.
The time for embracing a vibrant life of spiritual growth is now.
Some of us are already assured of an eternal home with the One who loves us best. But our journey doesn’t end with our salvation; rather, a whole new adventure begins. When we joyfully take up the disciplines of a Jesus-like life, His longing for our transformation into His image starts to become reality.
Even when we only have three minutes. Friend, He’s teaching me that three minutes are better than no minutes. He sees our lives, He sees our hearts, and He’s bigger than our schedules. Give Him the best three minutes you have, and watch Him move!
And the time for sharing the truth and hope of His love with the dying world around us is now.
And that brings me back to the heavenly-inspired lightbulb moment that He brought to me, despite the craziness of this season: one extraordinarily effective way to demonstrate the power of the love of Jesus is to live changed lives.
How do we pursue a changed life?
Remember that puzzling heading in my Bible?
Consistency.
When we consistently spend time in His Word, in worship, in prayer, in community with other believers. . .
When we consistently talk to Him about what we’ve read or prayed or learned from others, asking Him what He’s saying to us and what we should do about it. . .
And then when we consistently do it. . .
Change happens.
A changed life is an undeniable testimony to the power and the hope of our God.
So, my sister, whether this season gives you two hours or fifteen minutes to spend with Him daily . . .
Whether opportunities to build meaningful connection with fellow believers are frequent and easily accessible, or require intentionality and planning at a level you’ve never experienced . . .
Whether your ministry reaches thousands or He’s highlighting a single lost friend . . .
Seek Him, every day.
Build your tribe.
Share your transformation.
God has a purpose and a plan for your now.
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