– Secret Place Insights –
Dear One, moving through Scripture within the fellowship of the Holy Spirit can often be compared to traveling down a scenic road where nearly every next turn exposes a new an exciting revelation.
Such was the case when my eyes rested upon Romans 14:20, “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.” Although that portion of the Word considered specific foods, my mind went in another direction. I sat simply considering, do not destroy the work of God…period.
And then I thought of the ways that I sometimes …destroy the work of God. Most of them encompassed a lack of focus or a me first attitude. Certainly, one way was to rise in the morning thinking …now what would I like to do today… instead of asking God what would He have me do with the day’s gift of life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1906-1945, a German pastor wrote: “Order and distribution of our time become more firm where they originate in prayer. Temptations which accompany the working day will be conquered on the basis of the morning break-through to God. Decisions, demanded by work, become easier and simpler where they are made not in the fear of men but only in the sight of God. He wants to give us today the power which we need for our work.”
Over the years, I have found Dietrich’s words to be, as they say, ‘spot on.’ Any day that is not begun with God is not the day it otherwise would have been…one directed by God, and filled of His purpose.
When Bonhoeffer speaks of the morning break-through to God, he speaks of God strengthening and emboldening His people for the challenges of the day. Within the break-through, God clothes His followers with the spiritual armor so that His work, through them, can be accomplished.
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the
day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm
then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with
your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the
gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the
shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of
salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is
the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17
May we begin each day determined to not risk destroying the work of God.
Blessings for another week,
Susanne
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