Following
I'm awake.
At 7:30 on a Saturday morning. It's not important why.
TheHusbandsethisalarmfor6:00andIcouldn'tgobacktosleep.
*clears throat*
I'm awake. I'd rather not be. I'd rather be curled up in bed sound asleep next to my dozing husband. Instead, I'm perched in the office chair with a quilt wrapped around me because it's chilly (and because I'm drinking the leftover chocolate shake I got last night). My tailbone hurts.
I'm awake, but I decided, as I climbed out of bed, searched for the drawer in our dark room, found an extra shirt to put on, and walked stealthily out of the bedroom, that I'm not going to be upset that I'm once again the only one awake this early. I thought to myself: I'm going to use this time wisely and not waste it.
So, I checked email.
And, I read a blog.
Next, I finished up my Highlights post for Monday (except for the picture we'll take tomorrow before church).
Then, people, I really got down to business. I played Hanging With Friends on my iTouch with my friend Amy. Oh, yes. Important matters taking place as the sun rose this morning.
Finally, I grabbed The Message off my shelf. I put on some soft classical music. I opened the Bible. It opened to the book of Daniel.
My first thought was, "Well, Lord, I've read Daniel before. You remember, Lord? I read it a few summers ago when I did that Beth Moore study at church."
My next thought was, "Ok, Lord, you've got something to tell me this morning, so I'll turn right over to the first chapter and see what you have to say."
So, I read the Introduction to Daniel and chapter 1. Out loud.
Nothing.
Really, Lord?
So, I read it again. Out loud. And, I turned down the classical music a notch becausemy obsession with my love of cellos was highly distracting.
What I took away from Chapter 1 was this: four young men from Israel--taken captive by a foreign king, placed in a palace in a foreign land to be well-fed...well-educated...well-prepared for leadership-- chose to ignore the rich food and wine being served to them from the king's own table each day and live solely on the diet the Lord was directing them to partake of. They asked to be served only vegetables and water. For 10 days. To prove that God's path was better.
And, what happened at the end of the 10 days?
God richly blessed them.
It says in verse 15, "At the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the others who had been eating from the royal menu." What happened next? What happened after they obeyed God? After they refused to do what they knew was wrong? To follow the leading of God?
Verse 17: "God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life."
Hello?!
Haha, that was a "duh" moment if I ever had one.
Isn't that what I desire? To follow God's will for my life (even in the midst of storms or sieges or job-worries or financial strains) and to gain those things which God would bless me with? Those four young men followed the Lord's leading, and "...they took their place in the king's service." Verse 19
I am in the King's service!
This song plays on the radio often, and we've sung it in church before. Turn the volume up. :)
At 7:30 on a Saturday morning. It's not important why.
TheHusbandsethisalarmfor6:00andIcouldn'tgobacktosleep.
*clears throat*
I'm awake. I'd rather not be. I'd rather be curled up in bed sound asleep next to my dozing husband. Instead, I'm perched in the office chair with a quilt wrapped around me because it's chilly (and because I'm drinking the leftover chocolate shake I got last night). My tailbone hurts.
I'm awake, but I decided, as I climbed out of bed, searched for the drawer in our dark room, found an extra shirt to put on, and walked stealthily out of the bedroom, that I'm not going to be upset that I'm once again the only one awake this early. I thought to myself: I'm going to use this time wisely and not waste it.
So, I checked email.
And, I read a blog.
Next, I finished up my Highlights post for Monday (except for the picture we'll take tomorrow before church).
Then, people, I really got down to business. I played Hanging With Friends on my iTouch with my friend Amy. Oh, yes. Important matters taking place as the sun rose this morning.
Finally, I grabbed The Message off my shelf. I put on some soft classical music. I opened the Bible. It opened to the book of Daniel.
My first thought was, "Well, Lord, I've read Daniel before. You remember, Lord? I read it a few summers ago when I did that Beth Moore study at church."
My next thought was, "Ok, Lord, you've got something to tell me this morning, so I'll turn right over to the first chapter and see what you have to say."
So, I read the Introduction to Daniel and chapter 1. Out loud.
Nothing.
Really, Lord?
So, I read it again. Out loud. And, I turned down the classical music a notch because
What I took away from Chapter 1 was this: four young men from Israel--taken captive by a foreign king, placed in a palace in a foreign land to be well-fed...well-educated...well-prepared for leadership-- chose to ignore the rich food and wine being served to them from the king's own table each day and live solely on the diet the Lord was directing them to partake of. They asked to be served only vegetables and water. For 10 days. To prove that God's path was better.
And, what happened at the end of the 10 days?
God richly blessed them.
It says in verse 15, "At the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the others who had been eating from the royal menu." What happened next? What happened after they obeyed God? After they refused to do what they knew was wrong? To follow the leading of God?
Verse 17: "God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life."
Hello?!
Haha, that was a "duh" moment if I ever had one.
Isn't that what I desire? To follow God's will for my life (even in the midst of storms or sieges or job-worries or financial strains) and to gain those things which God would bless me with? Those four young men followed the Lord's leading, and "...they took their place in the king's service." Verse 19
I am in the King's service!
This song plays on the radio often, and we've sung it in church before. Turn the volume up. :)
"Where you go I'll go. Where you stay, I'll stay. When you move, I'll move. I will follow."
Prepare my heart and mind, O Lord, for following you.
I'm chuckling. If my honey has an important work week or is traveling, he'll set 2, maybe 3 alarm clocks. Do you think they all get turned off when he's done? NO! I'm a light sleeper anyway (probably bordering on insomniac!), and I don't need ANY additional help not sleeping. So when those alarms go off and I'm the only one awake, yes I'm annoyed. And for 8.5 years, I've been the one to wake up with the kids. A couple of times every year I'll ask can I just sleep in one day this whole year? The answer is sure - just let me know when. Well if I have to wake him up to let him know I want to sleep, the whole purpose of me being asleep is defeated! *sigh* I guess I'm saying get used to it - it doesn't get any better. But I still love him. :)
ReplyDeleteWell. you used your time wisely and by reading and really understanding God's word, you gained much more than some extra moments sleeping. But, you and little "sweet peach" do need your rest, so make sure the hubby turns off that obnoxious alarm clock on Friday evenings!!!!! Can't wait to read your next "Highlights" blog. Love you.
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