I woke up this morning – too early for a Saturday – with this thought on my mind. “I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.” Psalm 121:1 I knew instantly the source of that verse and why it woke me up. Last night, instead of reading before I drifted off to sleep, I wrote my Weekend Warrior Get-It-Done List. As I kept adding to it I remember thinking optimistically that I would certainly accomplish every item on my list. I envisioned crossing off task-by-task in anticipation of an afternoon and evening spent with friends. Great incentive!
I bounded out of bed just after 5:00 a.m., ran to make coffee, grabbed my Weekend Warrior Get-It-Done List from the table, and then the spark of insight! It came something like this. “ERGH! Planning for the day and reality of the day are in serious controversy. Hmmm. What if I chuck the list, forget it’s there, do nothing but play all day?” I could do nothing, but here’s where pragmatism has definite advantage. I know these things are true:
a) today is a gift – John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day;”
b) every minute that passes is a minute I can’t get back – James 4:14 “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
c) I will be sorry I didn’t use my minutes wisely – Deuteronomy 5:32 “So be very careful to act exactly as God commands you. Don’t veer off to the right or the left. Walk straight down the road God commands so that you’ll have a good life and live a long time in the land that you’re about to possess.”
There will be no escape from being overwhelmed if I don’t act on those things that last night I was confident I could complete, if I worked at it with all my heart. Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord …”
The first thing I did (even before the first cup of coffee) I got on my knees and prayed that I would stay focused, not veer to the left or right, but stay on task. Then I looked at the list again and remembered how to move a mountain. Mark 11:22-23 “Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m going with that Saturday strategy. Outta my way mountain, I’m coming through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa1hABLMzDE
Because of Grace we Press On