August 26, 2010

Dear Friends, 

I just can't do it all . . . that was the thought running through my head the other day. As I tried to figure out how I was going to add one more thing to my already packed schedule, I realized that I wasn't walking in the Spirit - I was walking in the flesh. I felt like I had more to do than I could do . . . and it was true. "I" had put upon "myself" expectations that "I" could not keep.

Earlier this week I was reading Psalm 78 - a great Psalm where Asaph reviews God's work in the life of Israel from the time of the slavery in Egypt to the time of David's calling as king. He doesn't want the people to forget God's work for them (like their forefathers did). He wants to make sure that each new generation remembers the lessons learned! And so he reviews God's works even in spite of the people's failure to trust God and walk in faith. When I came to vs. 22, there was a simple statement that I almost didn't take much notice of . . .

Because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation.

After I finished reading the Psalm, I was drawn back to this verse. At first, I thought, "That makes sense - they did not receive God's salvation." I was thinking of how they needed to be redeemed from their sins. But when I read the verse again in its context, I wasn't seeing what the verse was saying. The verses before (vs. 17-21) and after the verse (vs. 23-33) talk about how God's people were not trusting God to provide them water and food in their journey through the desert. They whined and complained to God, but did not walk in faith with God!

Then it struck me - I was living just like the Israelites. I wasn't trusting God in my day to day journey; I was trusting Mike. I wasn't asking God in faith to intervene; I was whining and complaining in the flesh. God's saving power isn't just for dealing with the penalty of my sin, God and His power are available for my daily life! God wants His power and wisdom and will to be used and expressed moment by moment in every area of my life. Yet here I was, going through portions of a busy schedule not believing "in God" and not trusting "in His salvation." I was thinking I had to get it done, make it happen, and bring it about.

That started me thinking . . . and praying . . . and reflecting. . .

• Do I approach my daily commitments as a walk of faith with God? Am I moment by moment seeking His will, asking for His grace, and applying His truth?
• Is my schedule built upon the expectations I have of myself or the expectations others have of me? Or is it the expression of what God desires for me?
• Are there elements of my life where I have to believe God and trust for His saving power to see success? Is my life full of safe things that I can do? Or are there elements that will stretch me where God must show up?
• Have I put the most important things into my schedule first and then said 'no' to those things that will distract me from His will?