One Friday

by Susan Sampson

It’s 1:39 pm on Friday and I am still not out of my pajamas.  I’m sure much of the world might consider this a failure of a day.  I am tempted to.  What have I gotten done?  Not what I had hoped or planned for.

What have I gotten done?

I have spent time with the Lord in His Word.  Pleaded with Him and praised Him.  Battled my flesh.  Battled the enemy.  Battled my children’s sin.  Cried.  Prayed some more.  Texted Laurie to ask for prayer.  Shared the gospel with my youngest son who is 10 and was struggling to believe this morning.  Worked on training my older son in his responsibilities at home.  And somehow managed by God’s grace to work from home for the ministry.

Except for beginning my day with the Lord and doing my work for the ministry, none of the rest was on my agenda for the day.  God is good.  He knows.  He knows better than I do.  Lord, have mercy and enable us to rest and trust in your unfailing love for us.  Thank you for loving me right where I am in the midst of the battle; for catching me when I’m falling and for upholding me by your righteous right hand.

It’s clearly not a coincidence that we had our lecture Thursday and then the Lord decided that I would need to learn what was taught by experience the next morning.  Thank you, Lord, for loving me and knowing my needs better than I know my own.  Help me submit to you and rejoice in you!

May I encourage you all as I encourage my own soul, to not give in to the feelings of being overwhelmed or to the resistance you are experiencing from your children (remember that means we are doing something right).

Renounce all fear of man — all fear of my children’s reactions to what I am requiring of them or what they think of me.  Put this to death.

Yes, the morning has taken far longer than I hoped it would.  But the Lord is calling me to train my children and not just entertain them.  The instruction Laurie gave us to “do life with them” was so very helpful to me!  My way has always been to “do life for them.”  But that is not God’s way.  That has always seemed like it is loving and what it means to be a good mom, but in reality it is only handicapping them.

As their loving shepherd, I must put aside my agenda, my plans, and my time frame and come alongside of them to show them the way.  Some of my children wander far more easily than the others.  I’m reminded of the movie Up when they yell “squirrel” and the dog whips his head around every time.

God knows all things, He sees all things.  He sees the state of our hearts and loves us still.  He made His enemies His friends.  He reconciled us to Himself.  His banner over us is love!  Unfailing love.

The truth is that discipline is loving.  The bible is clear on this point.  May we receive His truth and make it a part of our lives. May He bring about a harvest of righteousness for His glory. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Heb. 12:6). 

“…but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness” (Heb. 12:10b).

“…for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14b).

Let us go forward by faith, trusting in God’s unfailing love.  His perfect plan and perfect timing.  Submitting ourselves to His will and coming up under His Word.  May we not grow weary in doing good.  He has promised to continue the good work He has begun in us.  May we now continue to follow in the truth He has taught us this summer and not put it aside, but continue the work He has created for us to do in Christ.

“Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s” (2 Chron. 20:15). 

Even in my pajamas.