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LEFTOVERS
What is that in the back of the refrigerator? Is it okay for the dog, or is it ready for the trash?
Oh, I remember. That was the beef stew we had the other night. I remember when it was hot and ready, and I was so anxious to present it to my husband with a fresh piece of French bread. I took the time to set it before his place with a glass of chilled milk. The first serving is always his. My children, too, were placed beside him. I spent time in planning and preparing that meal in anticipation of pleasing and nourishing my family.
Now, as I look at it, I think. Yes, the dog may still benefit from it. He can have the leftovers.
Do we treat God like the dog? Does he get the leftovers of our time, our money and our efforts? It is a good thing that the dog has a steady diet of Kibbles, because otherwise he would starve, depending on leftovers. They are not always there. Yet, even as I place the old food on the deck, he runs anxiously. Somehow, something from the kitchen, from the heart of the home, always beats the staple in his own daily bowl.
One year, I had planted my first garden. Surprisingly, it actually produced food! I have never had a green thumb. I remember the first crop of string beans. Of course, I ate the first one myself, and then proceeded to pick enough for dinner for my family. It was wonderful. As time went on, and the crop kept producing, we had more than we needed and began to share with neighbors and friends. Eventually, though, the crop withered, and was not even worth picking. Leftovers.
I love my husband and family, and of course, they get the best from me. Even more so, God deserves our first fruits.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
I love to rise early, before the rest of the family, while it is still dark. I have a special place in my kitchen that is sacred to me. Before the rush of the day, I enjoy my first cup of coffee and take in God=s Word to start my day. When I finish my prayer time, I notice the sun is coming up, and I know very soon, my family will wake, and we will begin another day. There will be challenges and joys, but that predawn time is so precious.
As I look back, I can=t believe this time has become a joy to me. I was a notorious late sleeper. I wanted to get God=s Word into my day, and kept thinking, I will do it when I have time. Most days I never found that time. Or if I did, it was hurried and interrupted. But it came to the point that I realized that if I waited for leftover time to be with my Lord, it simply would not be there. If He was going to be first in my life, I would need to start my day by feeding on his Word. In the beginning, I made a decision to rise one-half hour before my family. I was a zombie for a bit; until I found that the only way to wake refreshed was to go to bed earlier. I went from working into the night, well past midnight, to ending my day around 9:00 PM. I had tried going to bed earlier first, but I could never fall asleep. I would toss and turn, worrying or thinking about this problem or that. But I had it backwards. The key was to look to the Lord first. As soon as I started rising earlier to meet with Him, I found that I fell asleep quickly and peacefully, earlier and earlier.
I have always been a coffee lover. I must confess, my first thought after the alarm goes off is often, ADid I set the coffee pot last night, and is it ready?@ I love my first cup. It was helpful for me to hook this first cup with God=s Word. I made a commitment to myself that I would not have my first cup until the Word was before me. I knew that if I did this, my flesh would not let me skip my coffee! Now, even when I am on vacation, or have something distract me early, my coffee reminds me to go to the Word. I guaranty, I will not wait for leftover time to have my coffee!
What started out as a plan of discipline has become one of the greatest joys of my life. There is now an eager anticipation for what the Lord has to say in his Word. I feel privileged to have this time, and as I finish the reading, the same anticipation comes into my heart for prayer time. I find myself closing the Book and moving to the kitchen floor, on my face, for some time to Ameet with Him.@ I am quite sure I would not do this in the middle of the day, with my kids and the dog running in and out!
Leftovers. No matter how you doctor them. They are never quite the same as they were when first served from the pot.