Maintenance Required

The sign above is on in my car. I admit that when it comes to car maintenance, I have no clue. The light comes on when I’m supposed to get an oil change, but I put it off until “I get the time”. I can hear you – “You’ll ruin your car!”. Yes, yes, I know, I know!

I think about this little sign a lot when it comes to how I’m operating my life. How many times do we look at our lives & think there’s a sign on us that says “Maintenance required”? The 20 lbs we promised ourselves we’d lose last January, but are still there. The doctor appointment that’s been put off. How about a little deeper? Knowing that you haven’t darkened the doors of a church in years because of “all those hypocrites”, but you know God is leading you to start going? What about the time with God that you know you should be spending, yet attitudes and emotions are dictating your day instead of His Presence and Word? Ouch…

Yeah, that “Maintenance Required” sign is pretty serious stuff. If neglected long enough, we crumble apart, bit by bit until one day, we crumble into a heap – spiritually or physically speaking – and left hopeless, discouraged and angry.

Proverbs 6:10-11 tells us: A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

God doesn’t intend for us to live a “half-way” life. He wants us to be alert, on top of our game and living at our best. Right now, here in late November, decide that you’re resolving to change. Make the decision TODAY to get out of “maintenance” mode, repent for living below you best and start living in “surrendered” mode – Surrendered to the owner of your life who will do the daily checks (and sometimes, moment-by-moment checks) to keep you working at optimal speed.

“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.” (James 4:7-10 Message)

A Tangled Blessing

So today is Black Friday. I haven't joined the ranks of the "crazies" for 10 years. My last experience was that of yelling at a lady, who in a rush of folly, ran into Walmart & left her little child behind. He was smashed into a pole by the crowd, crying and bleeding. I yelled to her to "come get her kid" and after she did, I left disgusted at the whole process and vowed to not do Black Friday again.

Fast forward to today. So now I'm a mom - a mom of a 5 year old who LOVES the movie "Tangled". If you know anything about the Rapunzel doll, little girls all over the country are wishing for this for Christmas & it's not the easiest to find specific items they request without them already being sold out.

So I did what every loving mother who wants to bless her daughter would do: I stood in line with the "crazies" at midnight to get a Tangled bedset for my girl. Foregoing a cart (which would slow me down - oh goodness, I've become "that" woman!), I escape the crowd & wind thru side aisles, as only a seasoned-Target shopper knows the way, to get to the home department. Arriving there, I see a version of the Tangled bedset, but the design is more for a 10 year old girl than a cute kindergartner. So I grab second best, a general Princess bedding set. I go home, look online and FIND the Tangled set I really wanted, but it's sold out online too and at local stores. :( Bummed, I ask the Lord that I can find the one I want before Christmas. We had to run up to our local Walmart at 3:30 today. Right there in the middle of the aisle was a display & in the front of the box, what did we find? THE TANGLED BEDSET!!! We immediately bought it & are so anticipating seeing her little face light up to see it Christmas morning :)

But my very next thought was this: If I go out of my way to bless my little girl, how much more does God want to bless me? I thought of how God knows the desires in her heart & provided for her - regardless of "natural" circumstances. Though she is unaware of the process I went thru, she will be eventually blessed because of it. God is working behind the scenes on our behalf. He gleefully chuckles to Himself as He orders our steps. When we get off track or the enemy throws in something to trip us up and say "You'll never have that",it doesn't deter Him. The blessing He wants to give us isn't because of what we do, but who we are - His beloved children.

Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. James 1:17 msg

My challenge to you (& to myself) is to remember that He is my Father & a loving and providing one at that. He wants the best for me. My circumstances may scream that I'll never have or be, but He is always working on my behalf!

Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. Isaiah 64:4