Pastor Caroline - Where Do You Spend Your Days?

 

Where Do You Spend Your Days?

 

In Psalm 27 verse 4 in the Good News Bible we read:

I’ve asked Lord for one thing; one thing only do I want:

to live in the Lord‘s house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.

 

Wow, the Psalmist (David) asked to spend his days in the presence of the Lord. That’s exactly what we need to do! We must give ourselves the gift of God’s time in our day.  We should never be too busy to spend time with Him. His goodness and guidance are gifts He has for us. Let’s not rob God of the blessing He has for us today and everyday; so let’s spend our days with Him.

No matter what this world brings to us, we must look above and see the heavenly world. We must keep ourselves focused on God.

 

I know this world is most often not a great place to live. I often hear people say, myself included; I’m glad I’m closer to heaven than starting over in life. I’m sure generations before us voiced that same sentiment.

 

I remember my grandfather saying, “Lord help this next generation and their children get through this world for there are bitter days coming”.

His heart was tender for my Dad’s generation and mine. He lived through harsh times for sure; war, famine and virus. His daughter was born with cerebral palsy and spent the rest of her life, into her 60’s, as a cripple. She never developed to ability speak clearly and would get around the house on her bottom, scooting from room to room, as she could not walk. She could feed herself but most things she needed help with. I do remember she did needle point and embroidery. Amazing!!  She learned to type and enjoyed doing cards and / or notes for folks. She enjoyed life; loved music and family get togethers. She listened intently as people spoke or sang. She loved children and they loved her because as kids we were all on the floor together. Even as we got older we often would sit on the floor at eye level with her. I tell you this story because she was content, content in the Lord. I never heard her say, oh poor me, but rather every day she thanked God for the life and love she had.  I was 5 or 6 years old when I met her and only knew her a few short years before her passing. Back in those days travel was not as easy as it is today.

 

She marveled at the goodness of the Lord in her life. She enjoyed the scenery of the four seasons as she lived on a hill in Lochaber, and loved to sit in the window seat watching the goings-on around her. Kids playing in the snow, skating on the lake, swimming in the summer, the farm animals in the pasture were all a delight to her. The change of colour in the fall and the beautiful flower gardens in the summer captured her attention. The smell of fresh bread and pies from the kitchen, and a treat of chocolate or peppermints when Gramp went to town, would always make her day. I never saw her out of sorts, and even though I could not always understand her speech I could tell in her actions and smiles she was happy and content.

 

I would say she spent her days in the presence of the Lord, enjoying the life she had among her family. She loved an evening of praise, when we would be in the living room singing all the old hymns reminding us how important it was to be thankful to God for everything we had.

 

One thing I could make out when she spoke was; thank you Lord. She said it often. She was thankful for every day and as I look back I realize how grateful she was to have the years she did even in the crippled body she had. I do not remember her ever being sick (although a family member told me she had sepsis at one point and had cancer) and when her days were over she closed her eyes in sleep and went to be with the Lord.  I sure will be glad to meet her in heaven in her new body. What a delight it will be to be with her once again knowing God kept her in His care during her lifetime here and let her live in the Lord‘s house all the days of her life. What a testimony! Just as the Psalmist David here in Psalm 27, gave a prayer of praise, so did my aunt give praise. Even in her state of life. In spirit, she sang from her heart her love of the Lord. Even in her state of life. She looked up beyond what the world brought to her and waited for the day when she would be with Jesus, in His home – forevermore! She spent her earthly days in His presence and awaited her day of arrival to His heavenly home.

 

Where do we spend our days? Hopefully we can say, we live in His presence every day enjoying all we have in Him. As we marvel at His goodness and ask for His guidance may our hearts be ever grateful for the life we have, the blessings we receive and the work we can do in His name for His glory.

 

Ask the Lord for one thing and one thing only, to live in the Lord’s house all your life, to marvel at His goodness and ask for His guidance. Then you will have all you will ever need.

 

May your day be a blessing from the Lord and may you enjoy every moment.