What a difference a day can make

Throughout the day yesterday I could feel the prayers being lifted up and I could feel God's Holy Spirit helping give me peace. When I got home there was much to do, and after dinner I got to work on the lawn and garage. By the time a dropped into bed at 10:30 I was pretty beat tired. My beloved also helped me out and did some tasks that she normally does in bed, downstairs and I was down for the count within a very short amount of time once the lights were turned out. There are a lot of things that are not where I would like them to be, but God is good and He does provide. While I was mowing the lawn last night I had my oldest out helping me with a few things. He's still too young to man-handle the push mower, but I was thinking about ways I could teach him to eventually be confident in using such tools. And then, and this might seem strange, I thought it also might be a good way to teach him about how we can relate to God. Right now he (and the rest of my kids) fear things like the lawn mower. And with good reason - last night I accidentally clipped a cap to pipe from the water dept. and the mower disected this metal cap into at least 5 pieces (and caused my heart to stop). I think we can all have a healthy fear of God. His Word tells us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Job 28; Psalm 111; Proverbs 1, 9, 15). But as Christians we do not have to remain there - an occasional visit will suffice ;-). Next it is good to respect the capabilities of the lawn mower. The same things that cause one to fear it, a spinning blade capable of destroying a hunk of metal (and other things), is also a very useful tool at trimming grass. Now God is not some tool that we humans can just whip off the shelf to pray for things (like prosperity), but we can come to respect His abilities - which are limitless BTW. Can say a word and command worlds into existance (Genesis 1). He can tell the enemy of our souls that he may do such and such, but nothing else (Job 1,2; Luke 22). I can go on and on, but I could never do Him justice. Once we resepct the abilites we can learn to accept and get comfortable with the tool. Once I learned to repect the power of the lawn mower I learned how I was supposed to use it. As long as I followed certain guidelines I was able to use it as it was intended. Once I learned that the lawnmower could cut grass neatly and easily and not metal (something I seem to relearn :D ) I was able to get the things I needed to get done - in this example getting the lawn cut. Once we accept God and the designs that He has for His universe we are able to interface with Him much more cohesively. When you fight with the lawn mower it will not work as well as it has been designed, and eventually disaster can strike. The same is true. When we try and fight with God things will not go as well as they could, and if we fight long and hard enough and eventually reject Him - disaster in the eternal sense of the word. Then we can come to 'love' and enjoy getting the task done when things are performed as designed. As we get comfortable with God, and all of His abilities we can come to love all that He has done. We can marvel at how well it all flows and works when it is functioning as the Creator designed it. Granted nothing in our relationship with God is as linear as I've outlined here. But I am now trying to think about how I can explain this to a 10, an 8, and a 4 year old. :) Verse for today: Isaiah 40:10-14, esv Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult,and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? I really wanted to quote more, but it would take up so much room. I highly recommend you all go and read Isaiah 40... :)