Keep Pressing On

Acts 20:24 (NLT) - But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

We are smack in the middle of gardening season. There are about 3-4 weeks each year when my husband and I are putting up vegetables, canning, pealing, shucking, blanching, or vacuum sealing every day. I whine about it every year. This past Saturday I was relaxing in my recliner and my husband comes in the door and I say, “HEY Bab…Oh, ugh! As I seen he was carrying in two 5-gallon buckets of purple hull peas. He asked me last night as we were putting up an abundance of corn and peas, “Would you have married me if you knew this is what it would be like?” I just gave him the, “don’t ask what you don’t want to know” stare.

As much as I whine and complain I love having all these homegrown vegetables all year. However, in the midst of all of this I tend to get spiritually lazy, because I am physically exhausted. I know we all get there at times. When we are so busy that we open our bibles and fall asleep in the middle of trying to gain some strength from God’s word. It is very obvious that the minute my focus is drawn away from my relationship with God, my issues with sin rise up. I find myself right back where I promised myself, I would never go again.

I listen to David Jeremiah every morning while I am getting ready for work and this morning he was speaking on determination and diligence. This scripture he shared in Acts jumped out at me. I felt that inner voice telling me you must be diligent in your relationship with the Lord because that is the only way you can be victorious over sin. Everything else is worth nothing compared to the calling to serve Jesus Christ. I’m not saying there are not things that we must do and accomplish outside of serving the Lord, but nothing is more important than Him.

There is a reason that every scripture about living the Christian life describes some action. Running the race, girding up your loins, or being on your guard. The Christian life is work. It’s not a passive activity. We can’t coast through the week simply on the word we received from our Sunday school teacher or paster, not if we want to live the victorious life that the bible says is ours. I want desperately to complete the work that God has assigned for me to do. When He comes back to get us, I want Him to find me with my oil lamp full and using it to show others the way to Him.

Jeremiah 20:9, “But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!”

My prayer for each of us is that God’s word burns in our hearts like a fire and the desire to spend time in that word is so overwhelming we cannot hold it in. I pray that we each feel the powerful pull of the Holy Spirit to prioritize our time with Him no matter how overwhelmed or exhausted we may feel.

Almost Home by Mercy me is one of my favorite songs during these exhausting seasons. It reminds me I’m not alone and that it will be worth it in the end.

Well, this road will be hard But we win in the end Simply because of Jesus in us It's not if, but when So take joy in the journey Even when it feels long Oh, find strength in each step Knowing Heaven is cheering you on

We are almost home Brother, it won't be long Soon all your burdens will be gone With all your strength Sister, run wild, run free Hold up your head, keep pressing on We are almost home