recognize God and respond

Each day I get up and there are several things that I see.  Have you ever noticed the things that you don’t see, the things you take for granted?

I look out the window near my bed to do the daily weather report as well to check on the need for mowing the yard.  Of coarse, I’ve already made sure the time on the clock was the normal 30 minutes ahead that makes me stop and think every time I look at it.  It is my job to make the bed, or pull the covers up, since Julie has already left for school.  There are more things I do and/or notice, but I will stop there.

Or maybe not.  One of the things I see is a note with scripture that is taped to our bathroom mirror.  This note was included in something that my brother sent to me some time ago.  Honestly, I don’t read it everyday, but when I do, it makes me stop in my tracks and do an assessment.

Here is the scripture taped to our bathroom mirror:

Romans 12:1-2  MSG

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

It is the Message paraphrase of the Bible and sheds great light on my thinking, or on my poor thinking at times.  The note is from my brother who is one of the greatest encouragers in my life.  Steve is a godly, generous man who is so blessed.  I am grateful for him.

At some point Steve penned this simple verse on a tiny yellow post it note and mailed it my way with a book or a letter.  The note continues to give courage and light and strength and insight.  Notice the scripture and read it again.

In your every day, busy life let God help you embrace what God does.  But don’t get so eat up with or well-adjusted to the world around you that you miss God.  Recognize Him and what He is doing.  Respond to God.

That’s deep.  Maybe you needed that today.  Maybe you need it for tomorrow.  I do.  I have.  And I will.

Recognize God today and respond.  He’s here and He’s working.