Far From Perfection

Hello friends!  I hope your week has gone well.  Mine was very usual...nothing out of the ordinary...bland, tepid, and apathetic(...correction: I believe that last word should read PATHETIC!)  'Saturdays With Sara' has brought me to a screeching hault at the end of this Saturday...haulted to the realization that I am nowhere near living my life for the glory of God, as Proverbs 31 calls me to.  A bitterly painful realization!  Even more painful, the realization that Proverbs 31 is an example of perfection as a woman...and I fall SO short.  As I lay reading in bed, ready to turn the lights out and call it a night, I began to think over my day...what did I do all day?  Slept until almost 11, watched several movies, played a game with the fam, did 1/2 a load of laundry...and that's about it.  Some might say, "Oh, what a wonderfully relaxing and lazy Saturday."  And they're right...LAZY.  I share this with you only because I am ashamed that it took until 12:20am Sunday for me to sit down and spend time with #1, G-O-D...the first thought I've given Him all day.  This is NOT the plan he has for ANY of our lives...

"Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world." 1 Peter 5:8-9

Coasting through life...drifting on the waves of moments as we cruise idly on the ship of sloth...awaiting that "roaring lion" to come and have his way...  NO!  God has much greater plans and dreams for our lives and all he asks is the passion and intentionality (from us) to carry out His will!  Now, I know that not all people have the same problems in the same areas...but I am CONVINCED that we ALL struggle with SLOTH and LAZE in some avenue of our lives...think about it.  Whether it's using our spare time idly with television/games/rest or filling all our time with work/friends/family/service (while all GOOD things), we can have too much of a good thing (causing us to neglect / be lazy in another area).  God worked for 6 days (one more than most of us do) and then he rested all the while in communion with His "family" - the Holy Trinity and Heavenly hosts.  He set the model for all good things in those first 7 days!

Thankfully, God does not call us to perfection!  But, He does call us to TRY.  Proverbs 31, I believe, is the perfect example given to women of God as a guideline for behavior.  Our heavenly father know's we will fall short, it's happened since the beginning, (He wouldn't change it for the world) and that's the beauty of grace!  He knows...and all he asks is for true repentence and "his mercies are new every morning!"  EVERY MORNING!!!  But wait, there's more!  God gave us the model, then he gave us the scripture, then he gave us the Crowning Glory example: Jesus Christ!

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time." Hebrews 4:15-16

"...Grace to help us..."!!!!!  I am SO thankful that the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, GOD Himself, dwells within the confines of my sinful, mortal, fallen heart!  He's here to help me.  He's here to guide me.  He's here to convict me.  And, He's here to catch me when I fall...and I will fall...as I have today.

As mournful as I can be about my short commings, I REJOICE in days like this!  WHY?  Because it's a new chance to learn...a stopping point to look back and decide to choose a better path.  A path that leads away from ME and INTO HIM!...ending the day wrapped in His arms, blanketed with love, joy, peace, mercy, and grace.  Our God truly is an AWESOME God!