I was so exhausted!
My husband and I had been on the go since early that morning: 3 nephews’ soccer games, and 1 niece’s volleyball game, with a quick lunch in between. These activities left my back aching from sitting all day on wooden bleachers. My whole body just wanted to lay down in bed and sleep!
As I ditched my jeans and t-shirt for my pj’s, a thought rang out loud and clear in my mind:
“You didn’t read your Bible today.”
Well, to be honest, I had not. I went straight from getting ready to walking out the door in less time than it takes me to get ready for work during the week.
I attempted to brush off the thought until I was laying my head down on my pillow.
“What if something bad happens to you or your family because you didn’t read your Bible?”
Y’all.
I know enough about Jesus to know that what happens to me and my family has little to do with whether or not I read my Bible.
Still, I suffered from “not doing my part”.
Ever since I was a little girl, one message had been deposited into my psyche about as often as “seen and not heard”. That message?
“God only helps those who help themselves.”
For years now I have lived the life of a closet “doer”.
I have written the lists and checked them off daily like clockwork.
- Read your Bible
- Pray
- Go to Church
- Serve at Church
I could go on, but I am guessing that you know what else is on the Christian’s to-do list. If you are like me, you know because you have made similar lists, as well.
We think we have to do all the things so God will continue blessing us, continue loving us, and continue giving us the desires of our hearts. That is how we think He works, right? We do our part, so He will do His?
We tell ourselves we are good and we can be good enough if we just try hard enough to do all the things we are supposed to do. As if we could earn the grace, the mercy, the salvation, and the blessings of God.
I will admit, it was hard to fall asleep knowing I had missed out on meeting with the Lord that day.
But, I was reminded of something as I turned out the light and rolled over. I was reminded of those three little words that Jesus would utter on the cross as He gave up His body and His spirit to the Father:
“It Is Finished.”
It is finished. Done. No more to-do. No more to think or speak. Nothing was left on our part to do. There never was anything we could have done, anyway. If we could have done something to earn God’s favor, then there would not have been a need for a Savior.
Nothing was left for us to do in order to live a life of contentment. It was already done.
I just had to remind myself that I cannot do anything at all to earn any of it, God gives freely to those who ask, seek, and knock. The way to the faith to follow God for our lives is within the essence of Jesus doing what we could never do. In a faith to follow God lifestyle, we accept that whatever was necessary to be done was done by the only One who could do it. True contentment is found only in taking on Christ and His completed to-do list.
I would love to hear what ways you accept Christ’s finished work of faith as you go through your day. Leave a comment below and tell me what helps you find the faith to follow God!