Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 I looked up the meaning of the Hebrew word still. Included in its definition is to cease, to leave off what you have been doing, and to be idle.
It seems I've been forced to be still lately. Yesterday I spent five and a half hours sitting with a man who was dying. When I introduced myself to him I asked if I could pray with him or read some scripture to him and he said, "Not now." Inwardly I wondered, "If not now, then when?"
I really felt I didn't accomplish much during the vigil (I'm a Hospice volunteer). I sat alone next to him most of the time. Later on in the evening I chatted with his cousin as we waited for the man's sister and only immediate family member to arrive.
It's difficult for me to be still. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything. Yesterday when I was alone I used the time to silently pray for the man. I was able to adjust his pillow, give him sips of water and coke and call the nurses for him. Such small things. Often I want to do the big things to make a difference in others lives. But this is not what God has called me to do. At this moment He's not called me to be "doing" a lot by secular standards. I'm raising my daughter, a caregiver for a four-month-old and a volunteer who sits with those who are dying. Yet I am influencing the lives I touch and I need to remember to do all (yes, even the sitting) to God's glory.
Wanna move to Kirksville, MO? I saw you said you were looking for a place to move. Good church here!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to meet you here. To 'do all' not just for the sake of doing (as we are so accustomed to do) but for God's glory, that is beautiful! When we are focused on others and on doing that 'wonderful' thing, God steps in and makes us wait... while shaping us to do the one thing that counts most---trusting Him. Thank you for your visit and encouragement today. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteEcho what Melissa said. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lakeroadchapel.org/
Oh, you are DOING so much, especially when you're not DOING. What a precious gift from the Lord to be with that man. You glorified God and were the hands and feet of Christ to him, even though he rejected your offers to pray or read Scripture. Spurgeon said that no man could show him a truer kindness than to pray for him, and you gave such a gift to that man.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your sweet comments, Trisha and Petra. You are both an encouragement to me. Thank you for mentoring new mothers like me through the online world.
ReplyDeleteHannah and Melissa, the strange thing is that I have about a dozen of Bro. Leiter's sermons on my MP3 player. I use my MP3 player to listen to enjoy some spiritual "meat". I thoroughly enjoy his preaching and would love to be a part of your church!!!! I've already researched jobs for my husband in Kirksville specifically because of Lake Road Chapel. My husband is a welder and he must find a job that matches his current wages before we can relocate. Right now we have a job offer pending in Kansas. We're not sure whether or not to go forward with it.