Hustle Bustle

Some of you know that I have two children, a son who is 22 and a daughter who is 17. My daughter is in her senior year of high school. (For those of you, who have raised a high-school senior daughter, you may now stop and pray for me….that I not torture her, disown her or continuously cry until her graduation in May!)

Thus far this senior year has felt a bit like the holidays. All hustle and bustle, deadlines, applications due, celebrations, money needed, invitations ordered, gifts, gowns, going, going and going. On November 23, we were having such a morning. And in all the hustle and bustle tempers flared, words were exchanged, doors slammed and she was gone. Ugh…motherhood!!! I went straight for my coffee and quiet time. I furiously opened my devotional book and read these words:

“Entrust your loved ones to me; release them into My protective care. They are much safer with Me than in your clinging hands. When you release loved ones to me, you are free to cling to my hand.”₁

What soothing and convicting words for my heart and spirit. Oh, Lord you meet me exactly where I am. In and amongst all the struggling to live life, you have gone before me and are waiting for me. How glorious is this knowledge for me.

That evening I couldn’t wait to share this devotional with Ray. While I was cooking our dinner I explained the morning drama with our daughter then handed him my little devotional book and said, “Now look at today’s devotional.” He read in silence for a few moments and then said, “Honey, I’m sorry but I don’t see how this relates.” So I began my pious spiritual babble and he interrupts me and says, “Kat, that’s not even close to what this says.” Frustrated now, I go over to him and get the book and begin to read…it’s totally NOT the devotional I read. November 23 was a devotional about Thanksgiving…We finally found MY devotional from that morning…it was dated AUGUST 23. What???? That morning, I had deliberately gone to today’s date, or so I thought.

I know in my hustle and bustle, I turned to the wrong date BUT I also know God had a finger in my devotional book. Once I stopped.....He was there. He led me to read those words from August 23, the perfect words for my day and my heart.

In our hustle and bustle in December, I fear I will leave Him behind somewhere. In the cooking, and decorating, and gift buying, Jesus will be left out. In my frantic to-do list, He’ll take a back seat. As our duties multiply this month let’s remember that all He desires is our hearts and our time with Him. Get your coffee, your devotional book and Bible and see what He has for you to read – you will find Him!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

1 Excerpt from, Jesus is Calling, Sarah Young