Jesus Desires or Others Demands

“Will you take me to the mall again before school starts?” Madi asked me yesterday as I was trying to dig out from under the rubble called my office. “AGAIN?!” I had taken Madi and Mariah to three different places to shop over the past two weeks. Madi, who wants to be fashionable and comfortable (have you ever found that those two go together?)has only found a couple of shirts for school and now the day is looming just overhead. Pressure. I know that sounds silly, but for a girl like me who would rather be outside than inside a mall, her question made me feel pressure.

In John 7, Jesus’ brothers are trying to bring pressure. “No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” was their advice. Jesus didn’t fall for it. He knew what He came to do and how He was suppose to spend His time. Verse 6 holds His reply, “The right time for me has not yet come…”

With school getting underway, many new opportunities may come your way. Boards that need chair people. Volunteer slots that need to be filled. Kids have sports and music to be shuttled to. Whose agenda do we fall to? Are there people in your life that represent Jesus’ brothers, pressuring you to cram up your schedule so that there is no time for peace; no time for recharging.

As I head out the door to my daughter’s middle school open houses, I am preparing myself for the requests for volunteers. I asked the Lord this morning, “Where will I be most fruitful for You? Where I can expand my territory for Your name and influence others with Your light, peace and joy?”

I encourage you to do the same. Try asking the Holy Spirit where He wants you to invest. He may say exactly what you were already thinking. Then again, if you open the door to Him, He may just fill it with the deepest desires of your heart!

Lynn

One Comment

  1. Lynn, this is wonderful. I had to laugh when I read the verse you quoted from John 7:6, "The right time for me has not yet come…" I wrote a blog post today on the exact opposite thought from Galatians, "the time came…"

    Ah…knowing the Lord's timing. Your encouragement here to take our schedules before the Lord in prayer and seek His guidance is so wise. Desiring to be in the center of His will for me.

    Love & prayers,
    Joy

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