This January I committed to reading my Bible every day. Some days it’s easier than others, and some days I’ll head to bed, remember and quickly open it up! Honestly, I don’t pour over the Word for hours (or even an hour), but instead, I try to read at least a chapter a day and then read a passage out of my devotional book.
When I was pregnant with Luke, I was disappointed that I wouldn’t have quite the time to dedicate to my devotions after my special boy was born because he would require a lot of care with his disabilities. In response, the Lord whispered to my heart that “yes, devotional time is beneficial and should be pursued, but there would also be times when my worship primarily consists of the hard and holy work that he called me to do. Since that comforting revelation, I don’t approach devotions with as much black-and-white fervor as I might have in my younger years.
Last Monday morning, before the kids were awake, I sat down in my favorite oversized chair and opened my Bible. I was in Zephaniah, a book that I couldn’t tell you much about because it’s not highly quoted or studied. Zephaniah chapter 2. I stopped as I read verse 3.
Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly, perhaps, even yet, the Lord will protect you.
This was an admonishment straight from God to his chosen people. This was and is apparently the definition of what God desires from us, his people. The Lord clearly spells out what makes him smile, what lends to supernatural protection, and what is desired of us and it includes: to be humble, to seek to do what is right, and to obey.
That’s pretty simple.
That’s the message to those of us who claim to be Christ followers.
And you know what? That’s pretty much the definition of the caregiving life.
As caregivers, especially those of us who have been doing it for a long time, we often feel like our lives have very little meaning. We change diapers. We assist in mobility, we clean up lots of messes, and we sit in quiet spaces, or maybe not-so-quiet spaces if we’re dealing with aggression or behaviors. We humbly watch and assist our loved ones. We might feel like our lives are not amounting to much or don’t have a lot of purpose. Or maybe we feel like our loved one has held us back from pursuing our own passions or dreams. Or maybe, we’re too tired to think about it at all.
Let this verse bless you today as you serve those who need you. As you obey what the Lord has called of you in caring for someone. As you seek to do what is right by your family and by society at large. Know this, the Lord is pleased because you are doing exactly his will for your life. You are bringing glory to his name. You are making him smile.
Just Keep Livin.
