Photo courtesy of C.E. Watson
My daffodils bloomed. They are a bright patch of yellow at the edge of the yard and their fragrance is delicate and sweet. I love these first flowers of spring mainly because they are so very forgiving - they suffer from my neglect yet still come up faithfully each spring and give me great joy!
These past weeks when I have been recovering from my own bouts with sinus infections and bronchitis, I have also neglected my time with the Lord. I didn’t mean to, but for days all I could do was lie in bed and sleep! That meant that everything I normally do went undone ... including my personal time in Bible reading and prayer.
It came to me this week that the Lord is like my little daffodils: forgiving and faithful. And like these flowers that don’t need my attention to grow and fulfill their purpose in life, the Lord doesn’t need my attention in order to be God - He is the “I Am”, the “Most High God”, whether or not I bow in His presence and worship Him.
You see, it isn’t the Lord that suffers from my neglect of Him but it is ME that suffers!
Pastor tells us all the time that the Lord wants a personal relationship with us, but He will never force it on us. We have to choose to make time to be with Him, to read His word and learn the truths that are there, to kneel quietly in His presence and listen for Him to speak to our heart. It has to be our choice to enjoy Him and grow spiritually.
While any relationship can be neglected in the short term, it truly cannot survive without nurturing. All relationships - spiritual with the Lord or emotional and physical with a spouse, family member, or close friend - all need continual attention and, yes, effort, in order to grow and mature.
Mom and I have decided to re-start having a devotional time each day. Since Mom is having trouble focusing her eyes to read, I now read the Bible out loud to her every day along with reading the current day’s devotion from the monthly booklets that we receive. Doing this gives both of us time in the Lord’s word and also allows us to share with each other our thoughts on the passage and the devotional reading. Mom’s mind is still clear and her thoughts on what I read are on-point and insightful. I am blessed that she is still teaching me spiritual truths and that I have this time to share with her ... and can continue to grow under her guidance!
Caregiver, remember that you are loved with an everlasting love! Stay on your knees, and keep looking up!
Chris
