Thank
you, Jennifer, for sharing your thoughts and your new book with us.
Have
you ever felt invisible? Wondered if anyone would notice, should you stop doing
whatever it is you're doing, day in and day out?
When
our daughter was younger, I often wondered what would happen if I didn't make
the bed–after all, it'd only get messed up again. Or what if I left the laundry
and dishes untouched.
There
were times, many, when the tedium of the day wore me down and left me feeling
... insignificant.
They
say integrity is doing what you know is right when no one is watching.
Except,
Someone is always watching, right? Psalm
139 tells us God is attentive to our every move. He knows every
detail of our lives and every thought that flits through our brain. More
than that, He takes great delight in us.
Psalm
37:23 says, "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every
detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord
upholds them by the hand" (NLT, emphasis mine*).
Pause
to consider that verse for a moment. The Lord delights in every detail
of our lives--when we're doing something grand and exciting and when we're
folding towels for the umpteenth time. Perhaps because He knows our
character, that part of us He's continually molding, is grown in the big and
the small.
I
don't know about you, but I want to be a person of integrity.
I
want to be known for my character and obedience. I want God to look down on me,
when I'm elbow deep in dishwater, and smile, and I want to do it
all–everything--for Him and His glory.
For
obedience sake.
These
emotions and thoughts were triggered as I read Luke
1:5-7. Elizabeth and Zechariah, an old and childless couple, were
known for being righteous and carefully obeying God's commands and regulations.
When we read this passage, it's easy to skip over that, probably because we
know the end of the story. They were faithful, and God rewarded them with
something they'd deeply longed for--a child. Not just a child, but the one
birthed to proclaim the coming of Christ.
Wow.
Pretty awesome, right?
But
let's step back. Back to when, still childless and likely unnoticed, John's
parents lived obediently. Scripture tells us Zechariah was a Jewish priest, and
as such, his responsibilities were to maintain the workings in the temple,
instruct the people, and on occasion, if the lot cast landed on him, to enter
the Holy Place of the Tabernacle to burn incense on the
altar of incense.
I'm
not a statistician, but it seems likely he could go his entire life and never,
not once, receive this honor. He was one of 20,000 priests! Though Scripture
doesn't tell us, I think it's safe to assume there were times he felt unseen
and wondered if what he did mattered. After all, should he simply cease
performing his duties, there were 19,999 other men ready and able to take his
place, many of which likely had children.
Let
me explain the significance of that for a moment. In Bible times, children were
seen as a blessing from God; barrenness was seen as a curse. Meaning, Elizabeth
and Zechariah were likely judged for their infertility. The common assumption
of their day–They'd likely done something wrong or had displeased God in some
way, and that was the reason they were barren.
In
other words, Elizabeth and Zechariah served God faithfully in the midst of
their sorrow. Despite the fact that He hadn't granted them the one thing they
likely longed for above all else.
That's
integrity.
They
obeyed in the mundane, in the hard and painful, simply because it was the right
thing to do.
They
obeyed because they knew God is worthy, amen?
There's
a verse I love, and one I pray often: "And so, dear brothers and sisters,
I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you.
Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind He will find acceptable. This
is truly the way to worship Him" (Romans 12:1 NLT).
In
view of all God has done for us, in view of Christ's sacrificial death so we
might live, may we offer our whole bodies–all
we are. Our time, our gifts, our words, our thoughts–to Christ, as a living
sacrifice.
Sometimes
life is a sacrifice, right? Obedience isn't always easy or glamorous. But that
is "truly the way to worship [God]." Or to put it another way, every
time we scrub toilets, mop floors, wipe snotty noses, or answer phones, if
we're doing it in obedience to Christ, we're worshiping Him.
Isn't
that cool?
Let's
talk about this!
What
were your thoughts as you read today's focal passage? Is there an area in your
life or something you do that feels insignificant? How does it feel knowing God
is watching you every time you engage in that activity? How does it feel
knowing that thing, whatever it is, can be an act of worship, something
that brings your Father joy?
Additional
content you might find helpful:
Meaning
in the Mundane
The
Invisible Woman
[youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0&w=560&h=315]
Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Jennifer Slattery is a writer, podcast host and speaker
who has addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible
studies, and other writers across the nation. She’s the lead host of the Faith Over Fear podcast and cohost, with four others, of the Your Daily
Bible Verse podcast. She also
maintains devotional blogs found JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com
and is a regular contributor to iBelieve.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram,
and follow her author page on Amazon. When
not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves playing games with her family,
working puzzles, and adventuring with her hilariously fun husband. Contact her
through her website to
learn more or to book her to speak at your next event.
About her
latest release, Recapturing Her Heart:
What she’s always wished for… might be right
here at home.
When she loses her job, professional dancer Harper Moore returns to her Texas
hometown with one goal in mind—leaving again. But first she needs money for her
big move, even if that means working for her ex-boyfriend. CJ Jenkins is
certain he can help the single mom and keep his still-bruised heart intact. But
as old feelings resurface, can they let go of the past for a new dream
together?
From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith,
forgiveness and hope.
Buy Recapturing Her Heart here: https://www.amazon.com/Recapturing-Her-Heart-Uplifting-Inspirational/dp/1335597255
