REPEAT, AND REPEAT, AND REPEAT - God's way of communicating!

It never ceases to amaze me how when the Lord wants to get a message across to me, He tends to repeat Himself.

I mentioned before that the only devotional book I use consistently is Oswald Chamber's, "My Utmost for His Highest".  On April 23 there was a devotional entitled, "Do you worship the work?", in which he says:  "Beware of any work FOR God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him.  A great number of Christian workers worship their work.  The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God.

A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work.  He is a slave to his own limits. 

But the opposite case is equally true - once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone.  There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work.  The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him.  Be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing - to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker".

I find myself asking the question:  "Is the work I do FOR God more important than God Himself?", and I have to say, sometimes it is.  Sometimes it's so important that I have no time for RELATIONSHIP with Jesus because I'm so busy doing the "work" of ministry!


 I also spent the weekend re-reading the introduction and first chapter of Richard Foster's book, "Celebration of Discipline", a book that had a considerable impact on my spiritual life when I read it some years ago and found God repeating Himself.

Foster says that the primary requirement of the spiritual disciplines is "a longing after God".  He says, "the life that is pleasing to God is not a series of religious duties (or ministry duties)". . . . but "a life of relationship and intimacy with God". 

"The disciplines (of prayer, solitude, meditation, fasting, study, solitude, submission, etc. Foster mentions in his book) are a way of sowing to the Spirit.  They are God's way of getting us into the ground; they put us where He can work within us and transform us.  They are God's means of grace."

He says, "In the midst of an exceedingly busy ministry Jesus made a habit of withdrawing to "a lonely place apart" (Matt. 14:13).   He did this not just to get away from people (ministry), but so He could be with His Heavenly Father."

Those of us who serve the Lord in ministry must be careful that the ministry doesn't become bigger than our relationship with Jesus.  If we're neglecting Jesus in order to serve Him, then we have it backwards, and like Chambers says, "We will become burned out and defeated", or worse, I think:  We will find ourselves serving in our OWN strength and not under the control of God's Spirit.  God forbid.

Plenty of things vie for a spot on the throne of my life:  my family, TV, ministry, other relationships, good books - all good things in their place.  But that place has to be God's alone and my relationship with Him has to take priority over all those other perfectly good things.

Thanks Lord for repeating the messages I'm so slow to hear - but need to hear.  I'm looking forward to bringing balance back into my life by drawing closer to You in the days ahead.