"Find the Lord before you need Him."
~ Randy Travis
Please don't hold it against me if I confess that I genuinely like math. It is objective, absolute, and reliable. In a fallen world, math holds true. I notice symmetry in art and architecture, in poetry and even prose, whether overt, subtle, or hidden. I had to quit Sudoku when it became addictive.
And I enjoy old-fashioned checkbook reconciliation, neatly reconciling my manual entries with the bank to the penny.
Years ago we had fewer dollars, so account balances were closely watched. But now, unless a large expense necessitates knowing our exact balance, I simply stay aware of roughly how much money is available rather than keep a running balance. So checkbook reconciliation done every month or two also determines if we have as much money as I think we do.
It is quite rare, but I also confess to occasionally receiving a Transfer Notice from the bank, when I've become distracted and had a skewed perception of our balance. I'm seriously annoyed with myself if that happens. But we've never had problems (thank You thank You THANK YOU, Lord!) because we maintain a savings cushion, however thin it gets.
"Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance..."
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
~ Isaiah 55:2,6 (NKJV)
I don't like making this next confession: I reached a point of trying to get away with roughing it in my spiritual life. Jesus and I connected 25 years ago, and I've stayed faithful to maintain my spiritual life, replenishing my cushion of spiritual strength so that it rarely got anywhere close to beaten down. I attached myself to my Father's leg like a toddler in a crowd or a storm.
Then I got sloppy. I'd like to think I didn't take my Father for granted. Perhaps asking for conviction and then repenting became routine, and I wasn't going as deep. I know I got distracted. I started out by holding onto my Father, then gradually started to just maintain an awareness of His whereabouts to grab onto Him if something big necessitated it.
When the big storm did hit, I realized I wasn't exactly where I thought. My Father hadn't moved, and I managed to grab onto the solid, absolute, and reliable Rock which has always supported me. But I hadn't adequately replenished the spiritual cushion I'd been drawing from. I landed on that Rock with a painful thud. I hadn't accurately perceived my spiritual condition.
You will keep in perfect peace,
The one fixed upon You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
For YAH, the LORD, is the Rock of Ages.
~ Isaiah 26:3-4 (author)
Jesus reconciled us to the Father with His blood. Reconciliation is also a matter of being fixed upon the Lord, daily taking account of our closeness to Him, and asking how His assessment compares. Getting distracted or sloppy results in skewed perceptions of our spiritual condition. The time to find the right place with the Lord is most definitely before you most need Him.
Lord, I love You more than I can express and less than is adequate. I shudder to think of how I've taken You for granted. Please let me not grow complacent. Please give me strength and desire to follow hard after You every day of my life, without growing weary.
I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: lakesfcu.com
Sticking close to the realization of how easy it is to "drift" ... thanks for this reminder.
ReplyDelete{an almost Sudoku addict here}
I'm the checkbook reconciler in our family -- and I hate to do, even though it takes just a short time (usually). If that was how I reconciled to God, I would be in big trouble -- a mad scramble to account.
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy, Anne, and a good post.
Good post. Thank you for reminding.
ReplyDeleteWonderful reminder sis, love you.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, despite the fact you made a comparison between relationship w/ God and math, I will comment. ;) Math = my nemesis. God is my Savior.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Living in a relationship with God means living it each day. Wonderful reminder here.
~ Wendy
Beautiful, Anne. Thank you
ReplyDeleteSuch a true description of how a lot of us live our daily lives...relying on our own strength day to day and forgetting to rely on Him always. Then, when we need Him the most, He is there, but like you said, we hit hard. What a great reminder! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteApril
Susan ~
ReplyDeleteI can just picture someone with your careful eye bent over a Sudoku puzzle. : )
Glynn ~
ReplyDeleteI can't quite articluate why I don't want a computer program to run the reconcilation for me. I wonder what analogy might might be made between automated reconciliation and daily spiritual reconciliation ...
Natasa ~
ReplyDeleteWe all need the reminders.
Denise ~
ReplyDeleteI love you too, dear. May the Lord give you relief from pain today, and supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
Wendy ~
ReplyDeleteIt takes effort to prevent affection from becoming routine. I suspect keeping love fresh means never allowing ourselves to become so busy that we cease searching for what we love about God—for what may be known about Him.
I've been in Isaiah 55 for weeks now and that first verse you included has been speaking to me over and over. It's too easy to grow complacent, but He is too passionate about us to allow us to remain there. He shakes us awake--the level of the shaking depends how quickly we hear and respond. Great post, Anne. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSue ~
ReplyDeleteI'm honored to have you visit. I pray the Lord might use my words for ongoing blessing to you, as your words have enriched so many others.
April ~
ReplyDeleteI take great comfort that He is the Rock of Ages, unmoving and steadfast, secure for us no matter the storm, waiting for us whether we have wandered little or far.
Jason ~
ReplyDeleteHe shakes us awake--the level of the shaking depends how quickly we hear and respond.
Ouch! I think I hear Him saying that I've been slow. But better to hear the truth than stop up my ears. Thank you, Jason.
Great post, Anne. I love the analogy...as a math lover it really connected with me. :)
ReplyDeletemath was far from being my favorite subject. but for a change i understand/understood this. a great reminder to stay focused.
ReplyDelete"Lord, I love You more than I can express and less than is adequate." And He loves us more than adequate.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Anne, thanks.
I am very obsessed with keeping my checkbook in order and to the penny. This was a great example and reminder for me. Thank you for your wise words, my friend.
ReplyDeleteMelissa ~
ReplyDeleteOh yay! I knew there were a more math-loving ladies somewhere. :D
Bud ~
ReplyDeleteI suspect that you're like me, and even if a topic doesn't normally hold your attention, you'll take notice when God's Word comes into play.
Doug ~
ReplyDeleteI like the idea that His love is more than adequate. And it truly, truly is.
Bridget ~
ReplyDeleteI admire that you keep close tabs on finances. I wish I still did that. SO many things to do in a day ...
Anne, as always you speak such Truth here. And I routinely kick myself for not stopping by more often. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my husband and I used to fight over who got to balance the accounts. After our son was born, I relented and gave my husband the keys to columns.
Blessings.
I agree, when you need Him it's almost too late to know Him like you should.
ReplyDeleteAnd BTW, I have never reconciled my checkbook. Is this the part where you stop liking me? lol.
To the dear and simple country girl ~
ReplyDeleteI love that your love for truth is never far from your words. The quest for Truth is what led me to Jesus, the Word of God.
And that occasional Transfer Notice usually provokes my husband to threaten taking charge of the checkbook ... at least until he remembers how much work it is. :D
T ~
ReplyDeleteI can't even conceive the idea of not liking you. If a person seems unlikable to me, it usually means their temperment is too much like mine.
What a wonderful comparison of reconciling finances and needing that cushion at times. When we release our hold on Father's leg and wing it on our own, we often get off balance. But praise God, there is that cushion of reconciliation available for us.
ReplyDeleteHazel Moon ~
ReplyDeleteHow nicely and succinctly you've summed up my words. I hope that writing this might compel me to stay a little closer to my checkbook, but—far more importantly—to stay attached to my Father's leg.
Anne, it's been too long since I've been over -- your page is far more beautiful than your posts in my Reader! Love the Fall colors.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to me how easily I miss the simple fact that growing more mature in Him means growing every day more dependent and more needy. I would drift less if I would remember this more.
Wonderful to see you, my friend.
Lyla ~
ReplyDeleteGrowing increasingly dependent does seem like moving backwards to the world's way of thinking. How I wish that we didn't sometimes need to be brought low to remember our need.
Thanks for the nice words about the blog. Autumn is my favorite season. I'll be sorry to see the fall colors go when I pick a different design for winter, after Thanksgiving.
Loved your practicality. I'm not a math person, other than the basic budgeting, but I liked your way of applying the mathematics to the spiritual life. I really loved this:
ReplyDeleteI attached myself to my Father's leg like a toddler in a crowd or a storm.
Yes, yes, yes.... just what we need to do.
CarryJo ~
ReplyDeleteLike I said, I can't help but see math everywhere. And I wish I could remember the toddler analogy well enough to never, ever think I can go it alone.