Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Is anybody out there who gets caught up unavoidably in a whirlwind of duties, work, appointments, obligations, so demanding and so pressing that you just couldn't find time for prayer and Bible study between crawling out of bed wearily in the morning and falling asleep exhausted late at night? And all these heavy burdens are not because we are trying to make payments on a boat or a new Lexus or ranch house, but simple duties that decency has imposed on us. We have a family to take care of, righteous obligations that a person of good character must perform. And while we are being thus driven ragged, God keeps sitting on His throne serene, never too much to do, never knows what it is to be in a hurry, plenty of secretaries and aides surrounding Him to do and go at His beck and call, while He frowns and scolds because we haven't "taken time" to pray and study. And so the guilt builds up, and that is added to all the other burdens that stern duty has laid on us, burdens we cannot avoid if we are to function as husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, employees, yes, as church leaders. Sigh!
Can we find somewhere some Good News that may help us endure? Especially regarding the guilt problem. (If you are one who sits serene, untroubled, unhurried, finishing your day's work at 4:30, with a bevy of secretaries and aides, tune out; you don't need this.)
Let's begin at the end first: Our heavenly Father is not frowning and scolding us because we are (or think we are) unavoidably busy. He has sent His Son to save us, not to condemn us (John 3:17; 12:47). Busy as we are, the Good Shepherd doesn't lose patience with us; He keeps seeking us (Luke 15:1-5). Unless we believe this, our hearts get hardened and we find ourselves alienated from Him. Next, in the midst of our most busy busyness, the Holy Spirit gets through with conviction, for He is "the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9).
Say Yes to His every conviction, to every ray of light that shines through the worldly gloom; in other words, welcome Him. Guaranteed: He will show you a way and a nook of time to get a meal of nourishing spiritual food for your soul. (The test will come to see if you really want it, or are just playing games.) Lastly, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8). Remember it all week long, and then rest spiritually.
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Bread - Readings about life and the Word of God.
