IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2008
This morning seemed just right for a pair of lounging capri; you know the comfy ones with the drawstring waist. But the drawstring had retreated – the knot on the end had shrunk with wash and wear and my first thought was GREAT, just something else to steal precious time this morning. And I briefly considered wearing them anyway and let the drawstring just stay in retreat but I didn’t and this time fishing it out with a safety pin worked really well and quicker than I thought.
We all have those things in our daily routine that pop up, jump out and retreat that we did not invite to our itinerary. I call those things ‘time thieves’. And I am the world’s worst in abhorrence of these little intruders. Sometimes I get ‘bent out of shape’ and I fuss and fume because of them; complaining and explaining why I do not have time for these little ‘criminals’. Which is really playing right into their ‘grubby’ little hands – the complaining and explaining, fussing and fuming does only one – no, two things: steals more time AND my peace.
So this morning I had two choices: wear the pants with the drawstring in retreat (and fuss and fume) or fuss and fume and take a few moments, fish it out and tie a larger knot. I am glad I chose the later, less the fussing and fuming (this time). Which reminds me of an ole adage: ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’ and that brings me to my point: sometimes the ‘time thieves’ are of our own making – at my last wearing of the garment I could have tied a larger knot in the drawstring before washing.
But alas what would I have then done for an IDOK this morning???
WE ARE HUMAN. WE ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO DO THE EXPEDIENT THING OR THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THERE ARE always going to be TIME THIEVES. But you know what? OUR GOD IS BIGGER THAN the time thieves if we remember the Joy of the Lord is our Strength.
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
And if we need a little more incentive there’s Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Be encouraged! We can beat the time thieves today – by either heading them off with an ‘early stitch’ and when that fails, PRAISE OUR LORD ANYWAY!! That NEVER fails!
Father, thank You for lessons and for progress in learning them. We are anticipating a new week and we’d like to reach the end of it knowing we lived it well. We won’t do that without Your help. And so we are thanking You for Your Patience and the Good Work You are doing in each of us. I ask You to bless and keep safe and guide and give wisdom to each of our IDOKs today. I am asking You to take a reading on each of our hearts and weed out that stuff that does not honor You and move us to rid our hearts of it – help us cooperate with You today. And Father, we have souls on our minds this morning, souls who need rescuing but as yet are not willing to allow YOU to be the one to rescue them. Help them to stop looking to others for what ONLY YOU can do and help us get out of Your way. Thank You Father. And we bring these, we call these names to You and we ask You to deliver to them Your Will for them this day.
Charles and Renee’. Dall T. Dylan. Mark, Margie & Duncan. Marsha’s grand-baby. A care-giver for Emily Grace. Kathy N. Kyle A. Jason, Vicki. Joseph Toomey and Family. Mary Ann. Mr. Nash. DeLois. Terri. Leah O. Patsy B. Kim T. Krystee. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Janie B. Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Anita. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Katelyn. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Taylor & family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Cynthia. Martha F and Bob. Allyson and Glen and family and Kaitlyn. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and girls. Frankie and girls. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa and Brad and family. Cindy K and family. Chuck. Jessie L. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Jenny. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam & Family. Mrs. Dobbs.
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
The Peace of Israel
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R. Travis N. Joshua M. Brent.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Albert R III.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee. George.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Injured Stateside: Edward J.
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country – Mike. Lee.
And for these our IDOK Troops we pray for their protection today in mind and body and spirit. Lord we pray for peace and safety for them; we pray You will see to it that they all get home safe and sound and Holy Spirit we ask You to encourage them and draw them to loving The Lord Jesus with all their hearts.
We pray for the Peace of Israel, the Repentance of the American people, the election of Your Choice for President of this Nation and we pray that You will revive Your Church and that You will start with us – Your IDOKs. Amen and amen.
As I post this it is 45°F and clear Al Asad, Iraq & the time there is 4:58PM AST – on January 7, 2008
We all have those things in our daily routine that pop up, jump out and retreat that we did not invite to our itinerary. I call those things ‘time thieves’. And I am the world’s worst in abhorrence of these little intruders. Sometimes I get ‘bent out of shape’ and I fuss and fume because of them; complaining and explaining why I do not have time for these little ‘criminals’. Which is really playing right into their ‘grubby’ little hands – the complaining and explaining, fussing and fuming does only one – no, two things: steals more time AND my peace.
So this morning I had two choices: wear the pants with the drawstring in retreat (and fuss and fume) or fuss and fume and take a few moments, fish it out and tie a larger knot. I am glad I chose the later, less the fussing and fuming (this time). Which reminds me of an ole adage: ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’ and that brings me to my point: sometimes the ‘time thieves’ are of our own making – at my last wearing of the garment I could have tied a larger knot in the drawstring before washing.
But alas what would I have then done for an IDOK this morning???
WE ARE HUMAN. WE ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO DO THE EXPEDIENT THING OR THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THERE ARE always going to be TIME THIEVES. But you know what? OUR GOD IS BIGGER THAN the time thieves if we remember the Joy of the Lord is our Strength.
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
And if we need a little more incentive there’s Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Be encouraged! We can beat the time thieves today – by either heading them off with an ‘early stitch’ and when that fails, PRAISE OUR LORD ANYWAY!! That NEVER fails!
Father, thank You for lessons and for progress in learning them. We are anticipating a new week and we’d like to reach the end of it knowing we lived it well. We won’t do that without Your help. And so we are thanking You for Your Patience and the Good Work You are doing in each of us. I ask You to bless and keep safe and guide and give wisdom to each of our IDOKs today. I am asking You to take a reading on each of our hearts and weed out that stuff that does not honor You and move us to rid our hearts of it – help us cooperate with You today. And Father, we have souls on our minds this morning, souls who need rescuing but as yet are not willing to allow YOU to be the one to rescue them. Help them to stop looking to others for what ONLY YOU can do and help us get out of Your way. Thank You Father. And we bring these, we call these names to You and we ask You to deliver to them Your Will for them this day.
Charles and Renee’. Dall T. Dylan. Mark, Margie & Duncan. Marsha’s grand-baby. A care-giver for Emily Grace. Kathy N. Kyle A. Jason, Vicki. Joseph Toomey and Family. Mary Ann. Mr. Nash. DeLois. Terri. Leah O. Patsy B. Kim T. Krystee. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Janie B. Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Anita. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Katelyn. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Taylor & family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Cynthia. Martha F and Bob. Allyson and Glen and family and Kaitlyn. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and girls. Frankie and girls. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa and Brad and family. Cindy K and family. Chuck. Jessie L. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Jenny. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam & Family. Mrs. Dobbs.
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
The Peace of Israel
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R. Travis N. Joshua M. Brent.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Albert R III.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee. George.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Injured Stateside: Edward J.
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country – Mike. Lee.
And for these our IDOK Troops we pray for their protection today in mind and body and spirit. Lord we pray for peace and safety for them; we pray You will see to it that they all get home safe and sound and Holy Spirit we ask You to encourage them and draw them to loving The Lord Jesus with all their hearts.
We pray for the Peace of Israel, the Repentance of the American people, the election of Your Choice for President of this Nation and we pray that You will revive Your Church and that You will start with us – Your IDOKs. Amen and amen.
As I post this it is 45°F and clear Al Asad, Iraq & the time there is 4:58PM AST – on January 7, 2008
HIS MINISTRY TO YOU
