Whew, what a week. We are in the midst of a full-throated graduation extravaganza. It's two full weeks of ceremonies, parties, family picnics, rehearsals, brunches... and on and on. Sandwiched in between this has been a two-day college orientation visit that was fun, but exhausting, and a wee bit of wedding planning thrown in for good measure. All the while encouraging/nagging our high school sophomore to keep studying and finish strong for his last five exams this week.
Laundry? Did any one mention laundry? Surely you can find some clean socks and boxers somewhere in the house.
All this whining is to say, I'm a pretty whipped puppy. And looking at a long to-do list that doesn't ever seem to get any shorter. And wondering how on earth it will all get done. And obviously not feeling very grateful.
But our gracious God just gently reminded me in today's Daily Light: "Men always ought to pray and not lose heart." (Lk 18:1)
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." (Col.4:2)
Thank You, Father. O how quickly we forget. How prone our hearts are to wander in the wilderness of pride and ingratitude and selfishness. As the great old hymn says, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Take my heart, Lord, take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above."
Prayer and thanksgiving. Taking that impossibly long to-do list...or that relationship...or that intransigent problem...or that illness...or that prevailing weakness to the One with all wisdom, all power, all provision, and all grace. Laying it at His feet and entrusting it fully to Him. Asking Him to show us what to do next, how to do it... and enable us to do whatever it is with faith and joy.
But superimposed over--and intertwined with--all that prayer is gratitude. "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." Choosing to be thankful. Counting the blessings. Seeing the innumerable answers to prayers. Remembering the ridiculously undeserved, scandalously generous grace showered upon each of us.
So Lord, thank You for the busyness of graduation and orientation and weddings. Blessing upon blessing. Who could have dreamed of this nine months ago. Sitting in that ICU, watching Janie's temperature soar, listening to the beeping of the monitors, hoping, praying God would cause her to wake up.
No, we weren't worried about to-do lists in the hospital. Busy activities and laundry and phone calls were the furthest thing from our minds.
Funny, how quickly we can forget the pits, the prisons from which Christ has delivered us, isn't it?
Help us, Father, never to forget. "Remember your chains," Stephen Curtis Chapman sings... "And then remember your chains are gone."
Thank You, Jesus, for Your never-ending forgiveness, grace, and love for us, your children. As Romans 5:8 says, "You are loved more than you will ever know." We will never truly comprehend the vast, infinite extent of Your love for us... so we simply say, "Thank You, Lord."
Just thought I'd close with a song Jake and Janie just sang at the Baccalaureate service the other day. Like I said, who would have dreamed? Not us... but God. Thank You, Jesus. To God be the glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KDU-3hzukA&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share
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