Margin
Today's post is a portion from a devotion called 'Margin' by Gwen Smith:
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He leads me beside still waters and restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3
"I’m heading out the door to lead worship at a weekend conference. I’m very excited to see our LORD at work in the lives of women this weekend, but – in all honesty – I’ve got a slightly wounded heart as I cross the threshold. You see, I’ll be missing my son’s flag football game this weekend.
Balance can be so elusive. It’s one of the great battles of this age. I struggle with it as much as the next person. Many mundane and godly things compete for the attention of our time, our minds, our hearts, and our souls – and so many are good things. In most crowded lives, margin (time of reflection and rest), is no longer the norm, but the exception.
Lately, my personal challenge is to pass up the good for the great. I’m learning and striving to prioritize my days, my time and my disciplines in order to be increasingly effective in pointing to God’s glory in all that I do. I’m trying to pause each day and experience enough margin time that the loud sounds of ‘living and doing’ do not drown out the still small voice of my Prince of Peace…my true source of balance.
I’m reminded of the lyric from that old hymn “In the Garden” by C. Austin Miles
I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses
And He walks with me, and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
Notice that the worshipper in that hymn didn’t go to the garden with an entourage…she was alone! She went looking for God…and He walked with her! How amazing is it that the holy God of heaven is available to tarry with us and is willing to be found when we seek Him?
As we journey both on our own and together to the heart of heaven, my prayer is that your days would be enhanced with God-thoughts. I pray your personal time of worship would compel you to respond to the glory of God and fall before Him in humble worship. Through songs, hymns and scriptures, I long for each God-seeker to find refuge in the hiding place of His safe and loving arms. Sing to Him. Lift up His name with song today. Dance in the margin.
I firmly believe that when we engage in passionate praise and sincere worship, our time is well invested. It blesses the heart of God and it nourishes our souls to the very core of who we were made to be. We tip the scales of balance in our favor. We find sacred margin. I’m all for that.
Thanks for worshiping with me."
~Gwen Smith
Blessings~
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He leads me beside still waters and restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3
"I’m heading out the door to lead worship at a weekend conference. I’m very excited to see our LORD at work in the lives of women this weekend, but – in all honesty – I’ve got a slightly wounded heart as I cross the threshold. You see, I’ll be missing my son’s flag football game this weekend.
Balance can be so elusive. It’s one of the great battles of this age. I struggle with it as much as the next person. Many mundane and godly things compete for the attention of our time, our minds, our hearts, and our souls – and so many are good things. In most crowded lives, margin (time of reflection and rest), is no longer the norm, but the exception.
Lately, my personal challenge is to pass up the good for the great. I’m learning and striving to prioritize my days, my time and my disciplines in order to be increasingly effective in pointing to God’s glory in all that I do. I’m trying to pause each day and experience enough margin time that the loud sounds of ‘living and doing’ do not drown out the still small voice of my Prince of Peace…my true source of balance.
I’m reminded of the lyric from that old hymn “In the Garden” by C. Austin Miles
I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses
And He walks with me, and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
Notice that the worshipper in that hymn didn’t go to the garden with an entourage…she was alone! She went looking for God…and He walked with her! How amazing is it that the holy God of heaven is available to tarry with us and is willing to be found when we seek Him?
As we journey both on our own and together to the heart of heaven, my prayer is that your days would be enhanced with God-thoughts. I pray your personal time of worship would compel you to respond to the glory of God and fall before Him in humble worship. Through songs, hymns and scriptures, I long for each God-seeker to find refuge in the hiding place of His safe and loving arms. Sing to Him. Lift up His name with song today. Dance in the margin.
I firmly believe that when we engage in passionate praise and sincere worship, our time is well invested. It blesses the heart of God and it nourishes our souls to the very core of who we were made to be. We tip the scales of balance in our favor. We find sacred margin. I’m all for that.
Thanks for worshiping with me."
~Gwen Smith
Blessings~
posted by Our God Reigns | 10/23/2006 07:48:00 PM
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