He does not miss a day...

 

Yesterday I took a break from my daily routine and focused on a project with a deadline. I felt odd about it, as if this irregularity was not God’s idea. It is no surprise that today’s devotional word is DAILY!

The OT noun for daily is used as an adverb to describe that which is “lasting” or something done “continually.” The word can describe both an action done regularly, often according to a schedule or an adjective to describe offerings in the sacrificial system.

Ezekiel 46:13. “You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the Lord daily; morning by morning you shall provide it.

It occurs also to describe God’s people in bondage in Egypt. When Moses asked that His people be allowed to go out and worship, their slave drivers increased their daily work load. However, after they were brought out of that bondage, the Lord went before his people in a pillar of cloud by day, indicating His daily guidance.

Nehemiah 9:12. “By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.”

These and other verses tell me that God does not take a vacation from leading His people, nor should I take a holiday from listening to His instruction.

As He led His people through the wilderness, the Lord gave them daily rations with one day of rest, “on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Again, this word expresses continuous action. The daily care of God is a dependable and important part of following Him.

When Moses brought them to the promised land and leadership was given to Joshua, God gave these instructions that also have applications for me:

Joshua 1:8–9. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

These instructions are significant. God taught me the habit of reading His Word long before He opened my eyes to the identity of Jesus Christ and to understanding what I was reading. Every day since then, for more than fifty years, He has daily guided me with light from His Word and whispers from His Holy Spirit.

Daily applies to God’s care and His expectations. The offerings for sin were daily, telling me to keep short accounts with Him, confessing sin daily as necessary. The psalmist also praised God saying, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.” And even when exiled to Babylon, the leader of the Jews, Jehoiachin put off his prison garments and “every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table . . . . a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, as long as he lived.”

Daily care for others is a way of life for God’s people too. Nehemiah 5:15 says, “The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.”

Solomon rightly personified wisdom saying, “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.” (Proverbs 8:34–35)

While Jesus used a word for food in Matthew 6:11, He could have meant spiritual sustenance. In other words “Give us this day our daily bread” could be literal bread, but also refer to the bread of life which is the Living and Written Word of God — both necessary for spiritual health and well-being.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. This is a daily thing. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” He lived what He said, “teaching daily in the temple” even as “the chief priests, scribes and principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him.” After the resurrection, the Gospel spread and “churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” Paul had “daily pressure in anxiety for their well-being” and that continues today for those who care about God’s people. The only thing that is no longer daily is this truth from Hebrews 7:27: “(Jesus) has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” Yet after doing that one time, He still takes daily care of His people!

 

Impulses and Distractions

Last night I was kept awake thinking of the many options in my life. I prayed about these, seeking the will of God. I also asked questions about the importance of some of my activities. Does it matter if my house is clean and tidy? Does it matter if I write a novel? Does it matter if I finish projects I’ve lost interest in? To complicate my choices, I am interested in everything and have a mind that is easily distracted, likely adult ADHD. Focus on one thing for any period of time seems almost impossible.

This morning, I’m challenged by Oswald Chambers who writes about living by impulse. He says that Jesus never lived that way nor was He coldly intent on His plans without regard for any interruptions. (I’ve tried that; it doesn’t work.) Instead, Jesus had a calm strength that never got into a panic, no matter what popped up before Him.

For me, this describes the lessons of my years of a Christian. God has been trying to teach me not to heed my impulses nor live according to my temperament. He continually checks my blurting and distraction-motivated actions. His convictions produce self-consciousness and the realization that I have not been praying, or that I am not trusting Him. Far too often, I am motivated by whim or that natural part of me that is interested in everything and not able to easily focus on one thing. Chambers says this is “all right in a child, but it is disastrous in a man or woman” and that such behavior must be “trained into intuition by discipline.”

He is right. Impulse is not the same as that intuitive knowing that this is what God wants me to do and jumping to quickly do it. Intuition is related to faith and obedience. Impulse is more akin to selfish desires to be somebody or prove myself. It could be what Peter did when he saw Jesus walking on water . . . 

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:28–30)

Chambers describes Peter getting out of the boat as an easy thing for “impulsive pluck.” Peter wanted to do something big and bold, and humanly speaking, most of us can rise to such a spectacular action. Peter only had to see the wind and waves to realize he was not sufficient for this task!

I understand this impulsive pluck. I’ve jumped into things without a thought whether or not Jesus wanted me to do it. I’ve also heard Him say, “Do this . . .” and did it without question. These actions may externally appear to be the same, but they are not. I know when it is me showing off and when Jesus grants grace to do something beyond my ability.

Chambers points out that most people, even non-Christians, can stand in a crisis. When it happens, adrenalin and human nature rise to the occasion. For me, this is what living on impulse is like. I get a grand idea and can carry it off without talking to God and without any thought of my need for grace. Perhaps He supplies it anyway, but this is not how He wants me to live.

Instead, and I know this is true, I need the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours a day, every day, as His child, walking on water or walking on dry land. He will not ask for the extraordinary unless I am also able to rely on Him in ordinary, unobserved, even ignored activities of obedience. Pride and impulse calls me to do exceptional things for God, but He seldom asks exceptional actions. He just asks me to be exceptional in ordinary things, to be holy in ordinary life around ordinary people. This is not something I can learn in five minutes, nor check off my daily to-do list.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

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Lord, these are not new thoughts. You make it clear to me that being a godly person is a 24/7 calling, with or without an audience, and with or without clear directions. I have my to-do lists and You have taught me to do them as Your child, but also to consider interruptions as opportunities to be godly. The bigger challenge for me is ignoring the impulses to go out where You have not called me and instead live by the Spirit all the time. I cannot do this. I cannot can I chart my own path nor can I escape the way my brain is wired. You are my Savior. I’m depending on You to help me push aside those impulses to follow the distractions that fly through my head and listen only to what You are telling me to do.