Priority of Presence

     Do you remember how slow time could pass when we were children? It was pure agony waiting for a special holiday or fun event to arrive. Now as adults, life tends to rush by. Days blend into weeks, and weeks into months. Trying to manage it all and stay present in each moment is not an easy task.
     We become tired and worn down from the same routine every day. Discouragement and restlessness can overtake even the most devoted of mothers. However, defining our purpose and taking possession of our days makes every day meaningful. The dishes will always be there, as will the laundry, but those things don't really matter.
     "So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34, NCV).
     Are you able to stay present in each moment? The deep and lasting impact of your presence does have significance in your child's life. Make being present a priority.

Filling the Emptiness

     We all experience seasons where we feel emptiness: an ache deep within us that is inexplicable but present all at once. In those times, when we aren't sure what it is we're longing for, it is more of God that we need.
     Deep in the heart of every person, there is an innate need for intimacy with our Creator. Without it our souls faint for want of him. But the beautiful truth is that he longs to fill us with himself. We have only to seek him in expectation.
     O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1, ESV).
     Lord, I long for your presence. I need you desperately. I pray that you would meet me in my emptiness and fill me with your Spirit.

What God Wants

     Even before we acquire language, we can tell when we have done something good. Babies see our delighted reaction to their first smiles, giggles, and coos, and they smile, giggle, and coo some more. It makes them happy to bring us happiness. Seeing their joy brings us joy; so we heap even more laughter and smiles on them.
     Praise and recognition are basic human desires given to us by God, and he desires the same. More than any great deed or accomplishment, he wants to hear our praise and receive our thanks. As a proud and loving Father, it brings him great joy to bring us joy.
     I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness (Psalm 40:10, NLT).
     How do your children react when you praise them? How do you respond when they recognize all you do for them? Magnify that happiness as far as you can, and you might get an inkling of how God feels when you praise his name and share what he has done for you.

Making a Home

     Women love to create homes; just check out Pinterest. There are thousands of do-it-yourself home projects and decor ideas. Making a home is much more than cute furniture and pretty paint colors. We have the ability to create a dwelling place full of warmth and laughter. We can provide a place for our family to live where there is rest., security, and comfort.
     It's good to reflect on what type of home we desire our children to grow up in. Don't we want a home where our children's spiritual foundation is strongly built?
     She speaks wise words and teaches others to be kind. She watches over her family and never wastes her time. Her children speak well of her (Proverbs 31:26-28, NCV).
     What type of home are you building for your children?
     Aim to make it an escape from the busy world, a place where God's Word is heard and loved, and a place they can freely gather to share and pray for each other. Make it a home with God at the center.

Found in a Desert

     Do you ever go through seasons in your life where you just feel dark? Perhaps directionless or uninspired? In a metaphorical wilderness where you can't get a glimpse of any vision or even hope, God can find you. Even in the deserts of your own heart where you can't muster the strength to reach out to him, he can and will meet you.
     Wait for the Lord, even in your emptiness; wait for him and he will come for you.
     He found them in a desert, a windy, empty land. He surrounded them and brought them up, guarding them as those he loved very much (Deuteronomy 32:10, NCV).
     Thank you, Father, that you are near to me even when my heart is broken and my strength has failed. Thank you that you find me in my wilderness and you will restore me to joy.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow. What are you doing with today?

James 4:14

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

No Guarantees

We have no way of knowing when we will pass from this life to the next because we all have an appointment with death and then judgment (Heb. 9:27). So why not make every single day count? We are told to redeem the days and make the best use of our time (Eph. 5:16). I have gotten into the habit of saying “I will see you Sunday or Wednesday, if the Lord wills” because I cannot guarantee that I will do such and such the next week, not to mention tonight or tomorrow. I must submit to God, trust His will, and know that He is sovereign over my life and not me. That doesn’t mean I don’t plan or purpose to do things, but I ultimately know that God alone knows the future, and He always knows what’s best for me.

The Best-Laid Plans

We sometimes like to think that we are doing what we want and plan our own future, but the Word of God says that it is the Lord Who ultimately establishes our steps (Prov. 16:9). If we think along these lines, we can be more prepared when something different comes along and not be caught by surprise. That person you have been wanting to witness to might not even be here tomorrow, so we must tell others that today is their day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2) because tomorrow may never come, and we might not pass this way again and get a second chance to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

No Boasting About Tomorrow

Proverbs 27:1 tells us that we are not supposed to boast or brag about tomorrow because we cannot be sure “what a day may bring.” I can only do what I can do today, while it is still today, and live as much as I can in obedience to God. Pastor Charles Stanley often says, “Obey God and leave the consequences to Him.” I think that’s very wise advice. We can only control our obedience and allow God to work out our future for what is best for us because He can even use bad things that happen to us for our ultimate good (Rom. 8:28). God will make our footing sure if our ways please or delight Him (Psalm 37:23). I like to think that I am directing my own steps in life, but can anyone really understand their own way outside of the will of God (Prov. 19:21)?

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, please help me to trust You with tomorrow and to make the most of today because I don’t know the future like You do. I ask your patience when I run ahead of Your will, and please gently bring me back into Your will. In Christ’s precious name I pray.

Amen

Have you lost control of a situation? How can you trust God today?

Psalm 25:2

O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.

Relax, God Is in Control

When everything else around you seems to be in chaos and out of control, God never is. God is in the storm. God never promises to keep us out of the storm, to take us around the storm, or to take us over the storm, but He does promises to go with us through the storm. Just as the disciples were with Jesus in the storm (Matt. 8:24), so too is God with us when we seem to have lost control of everything in our life. When you can no longer control what is going on in your life, you can trust God to take it over for you. He has the power and ability to be in every situation.

Trusting God in Chaos

God is omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (present everywhere at all times), and omniscient (all-knowing). So why couldn’t we trust Him when our life turns chaotic? That is a rhetorical question that has an obvious answer. Of course we can trust Him in our life, no matter what it looks like at the moment. It is important to trust God more than our circumstances because we know God’s Word says that everything that happens to us will surely work out for our best in the end (Rom. 8:28). Do you believe that? We must have faith in God or we cannot possibly please Him (Heb. 11:6), and our goal should always be to please God.

Is God Your Pilot or Co-Pilot?

I saw a bumper sticker a few years ago that said “God is my co-pilot.” I’m sorry to tell the guy, but I wouldn’t want to be traveling with him if God were only his co-pilot. Wouldn’t we rather have God as our pilot and in control of our trip in life? No GPS is like God because they make mistakes, but God never does. My GPS stands for “God’s Perfect Steering,” and no batteries are required! What about yours? Who’s your global positioning system? We should stop striving and realize that God is sovereign (Psalm 46:10) and that we can rest during the trip. Take your hand off the wheel. God has promised in His Word that He will not send you into something that you cannot go through (1 Cor. 10:13), so trust in God with your whole heart and don’t ever rely on what you think you know (Prov. 3:5).

A Closing Prayer

Oh supreme and sovereign God, You are the Creator of all things, and this makes You sovereign over the storm.  I know you can bring order out of chaos, so please help me to trust You when I have lost control of the situation because when I can’t trust anything else in this life, I know I can always trust You, and in Jesus’ name I thank You and pray.

Amen