I have lived in Dallas for three weeks now. Every morning I get my cup of coffee and sit at the couch in the den. It is such a beautiful room with large windows, a huge fireplace and big, fat comfortable furniture. I love sitting here every morning. There is something about the sun shining in on me, my hot cup of coffee, and my time with my Savior that is just the most precious thing in the world.
This morning I grabbed my cup of coffee and sat down on the couch to start doing my bible study, and for some reason I gaze at the center of the coffeetable and realize that I have never noticed the centerpiece before. It has been there since the day I moved in, (all of this furniture was here when I moved in) and I am just now seeing this decoration for the first time. I mean, I’ve always known that there was something in the middle of the table, but I have never stopped to look at it before.
I thought to myself… I never realized that there are two gold balls and about five straw balls in this bowl type thing. How could it be that I am just now seeing this for the first time, and in all reality, I have seen it at least 100 times?! I sit here every single day, all day long, because this is really where I do most of my work, and here I am wondering why I never stopped to take a look at it.
I am starting to realize as I get older that I am such an unobservant person. But I am really bothered by this centerpiece thing. I just wonder how many things in my life I don’t see or notice because I simply don’t stop to take a look at them. Or I wonder how many people I have come in contact with that I didn’t notice who maybe could’ve used a hug or a word of encouragement.
I wonder how many times God has been trying to speak to me or tell me something but my mind has been distracted by other things. Think about it… I come every morning to this couch to meet with the Lord. I have my coffee, I open my bible, and wait to hear a word or a verse or thought that the Lord has for me that day. But today, I stopped, and I looked, and saw this new thing for the very first time. I mean really saw it.
I don’t want to miss out on what God is doing because I’m trying to keep up with the things I am supposed to be doing (like bible study, and prayer, etc.). I don’t want to miss the opportunity to speak to the girl who is sitting on the front row near me at one of Priscilla’s events because God was allowing me an opportunity to minister and encourage. I don’t want to miss the opportunity to share with the person sitting next to me on the plane about Jesus and His love for them and how they can have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe!
Lord, Jesus open my eyes to the things You are doing. Expand my mind and thoughts so that I can focus on my surroundings and see how You are working all around me. My hearts desire is to bring You glory. Thank You for opening my eyes this morning, I pray that I will begin living with an open heart and mind. I want to see how You are working. I pray that I won’t keep our relationship to myself but that You would use me to reach others for Your Kingdom and Your glory Lord!
1 comment:
Linnae,
Your comments reminded me of my reading in John 5 the other morning about the crippled man who lay next to the Bethesda pool for 30 years seeking to be healed and then was...by Jesus. It caught my attention that when the Jews came upon the man, walking along after he had been healed, the only thing they noticed was that he was carrying a mat on the Sabbath...all the while missing the fact that he was actually walking after 30 years as a cripple. They never recognize the miracle that's right before their eyes nor do they acknowledge the one who made the crippled man whole...all they see is the stuff that doesn't really matter, especially for eternity. We can all get caught up in the "stuff" of life and miss the things that are right in front of us. I am glad God is showing you these things and using them to make you more effective in the lives of others...and using you for the things that are eternally important. I think He has some pretty cool stuff planned for you and I am glad you are giving others a window from which we can watch. Many blessings,
Hank
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