the 24/7 bible study

My friend Missy just posted a series about Bible studies. About how she has been trained to lead them properly and how frustrating is it to sit in a study that someone else is leading and have thoughts flitting through her head like "I would be keeping this discussion on track" But the point of Missy's post is not to rant about how she could do it better, but to eventually discuss how God used that train of thought (and a few others) to point her to a basic truth of parenting:

You (the parent) ARE the Bible study for your kids.

Not that you train them up using scripture (though that is wonderful), but that you LIVE OUT LOUD the life that becomes the gospel to your kids.

Go read her posts. then come back here and we can move forward.

We can all do better at this. If we teach our kids about caring for others and loving the poor, we can also SHOW them by openly supporting ministries like Compassion International.

If we want our children to not worship the material version of Christmas we can establish homes where presents are given to Jesus by each member of the household and food is delivered by the family to others in need. (or other methods are used to point our children to Christ as the significance of Christmas)

BUT. We are human. Ultimately our efforts will fall flat, our energies will flag, our tempers will fray. It's a 24/7 job for goodness sake. There is no down time!

except....your quiet time.

now this is where I'm gonna start preaching at myself

I have tended to look at quiet time as...I'll admit it...something to squeeze in where ever I can and the first thing to get sluffed off the list if timing gets tight.

Never mind what that says to my child as she watches me, stop a minute and think what that does to my sanity.

If my life is what Ginny "reads" ....

If my life is to become the gospel for her.....

I NEED a break to be with God.

I need time to pour out my heart to the ONLY BEING who could EVER bear up under that kind of 24/7 pressure.

How much do most of us mommies look forward to locking ourselves in the bathroom for a few minutes of privacy? admit it, we long for it. We fantasize about spending just 10 minutes without grubby fingers sticking under the door and endless cries of "mommy! brother is sitting on MY side of the living room again"

Face it. We need God.

It would take a saint to be "ON" for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And I am NEVER going to be a saint. At least not on my own power.

But God says that I am already a saint. He says that I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me. I just have to ask for God's strength. God's patience. Discernment from the Holy Spirit. The tools are all there. I just have to crucify my pride and ask for them.

But I seem to trip up on the whole concept of returning to the throne of grace every morning.

My lazy spirit wants to ask ONCE for this outpouring and have it "stick". Why can't I ask once and it be granted forever? there is nothing wrong with God's grace and provision...it is the instrument (me) that is flawed and makes it essential that I go back to the throne. over and over and over again.

I keep getting in the way of God's work

Lord, help. Help me every morning, every minute, every heartbeat. Help me do more than just give you room to guide me. Help me to just get out of the way and let you LIVE in me. Let you course through my very veins. Inhabit my thoughts. Speak out of my mouth. Shine out from me. Make me invisible Lord. I can not possibly live "good enough" to point Ginny (or anyone else) to you Jesus. So make me invisible. Let her see YOU Lord. Let her see You.