Remember a few days back when I was relishing the quiet of my home and neighborhood? Well…last night was anything but quiet!
About midnight the dog across the street started barking. I’m sure he thought he was being helpful, protecting us from some unseen villain but he went on for over an hour.
There had to be a good explanation. A lone coyote meandering through or possibly some javelina munching on the prickly pear we have planted in the yard. I did not feel any safer because of his duty-bound need to bark. Only annoyed!
So, this morning when I woke all I could think of was going back to sleep. Yes, I almost stayed in bed for another hour’s sleep but I would have missed out on my cherished quiet time. I knew the Lord would understand that I had been awake half the night, of course He would.
Quiet time isn’t something that God demands of me. I’m not going to be punished because I sleep in every now and then. No, not at all. Quiet time is “my” time to charge my spiritual battery before I start my day. It’s time I get to talk one-on-one with my Father and get His insight and wisdom for things that I am facing. It’s my time to pray for those I have promised I would pray and for others who have never asked me too but are on my heart and in my thoughts.
As I was putting food out for Glory and thinking I wished I was still in bed I had a Scripture come to mind.
“He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water.3 He restores my strength. He leads me on right paths to show that he is good.” Psalm 23:2-3 ERV.
That one Scripture is the one I will hold on to today. You see the word “restore”. Right at the beginning of it are these four letters R-E-S-T. I can depend on the Lord to give me rest today. He will restore my strength. He will give me all that I need to be productive and to be an example of His strength working through me.
I’ll leave you with one more verse as I close.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV
This verse doesn’t say we are supposed to give thanks for everything but in everything. My desire to chuck rocks at the neighbor’s dog last night was not a way of giving thanks. Sorry Lord.
When we are thankful we have a God perspective instead of a problem perspective.
Thank you Lord that You are bigger than the barking dogs in our lives. Thank you that You give us rest when life seems to drain us of our energy and ambition. Thank you for restoring our joy and anything else that has been siphoned off in aggravating circumstances. Thank you!