June 22, 2011
Let's Joust, Daddy!
Today’s Truth
“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation” (Psalm 5:3-4 NIV).
Friend To Friend
In 1986, my husband and I built a house which would be our home for the next twenty years. While the builders were hammering away, I was sewing away, trying to have all the curtains made before we moved in.
The fabric for the curtains came on five foot long cardboard tubes. For one year, those tubes were my two-year-old son's favorite toys. They served as tunnels for Matchbox cars and giant megaphones from which all sorts of important announcements were made. But his favorite thing to do with the tubes was "joust" (sword fight). Every day when Steve, my husband, came home from work, he was greeted by Steven shouting, "Let's joust, Daddy!" My husband jousted tirelessly for months.
Nine years later, in a conversation remembering the jousting days, Steven confessed, "You know, I used to have terrible nightmares about those huge cardboard tubes. I used to dream that giant "jousting rods" were chasing me all around the house trying to get me."
Baffled, I asked him, "Why didn't you tell us about the dreams? And why did you want to continue playing with the tubes if they gave you bad dreams?"
"I guess it was because I loved Dad so much and playing the game with him, that it was worth having the scary dreams,” he answered.
Little did Steven know what a profound statement he had made. My thoughts immediately went to my heavenly Father, my love for Him, and what I was willing to endure to spend time with Him. See, I too have a jousting rod. It is called the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). I love to joust with my heavenly Daddy. This jousting does not cause me to have bad dreams, but sometimes I have to endure a house that's not as clean as I would like or a project that is in the other room screaming out to be finished. That's a nightmare to me.
In this busy world in which we live, taking time out to be with our Heavenly Father can be somewhat of a struggle. But the rewards are so great. So every morning, I grab my jousting rod, God's Word, and together we conquer foes and win battles side-by-side.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Help me to put all my busyness aside to spend time with You each day. I pray that my love for You will supercede any other activity that I have planned on any given day. Thank You for wanting to spend time with me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Is your relationship with God something you feel that you “have” to do, or that you “get to do?”
What are you willing to put aside to spend time with God?
Where is your favorite place to have your quiet time with God each day? Let’s share our spots? If you have a camera, take a picture and post it on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.
More From The Girlfriends
Don’t you love reading stories of God’s fingerprints on the pages of everyday life! Sharon’s devotion book, Extraordinary Moments with God, is full of them! Some stories will make you laugh. Some stories will make you cry. Each story will point you to God and strengthen your relationship with Him. To learn more, visit www.sharonjaynes.com.
Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Girlfriends in God
Matthews, NC 28106
[email protected]
www.girlfriendsingod.com
