As a homeschooling mom who works on the side, time is always of essence, and I am constantly searching for time to get everything done. One day recently, I hit upon a creative solution: Why not train my boys to do some of the simpler household chores???? Well, why not? Today’s well-equipped man needs to know how to cook and clean!
The idea worked beautifully at first. As the boys became more proficient at their tasks, I began leaving them “to do” lists, and the knowledge that some of my household chores would be already done made my homeward drive much more enjoyable!
Then trouble struck.
It was innocent at first. Two beaming boys would meet me at the door: “We did everything on the list!” But when I walked into the kitchen, I would find that the counters hadn’t been wiped, or that the newly-swept floor still had crumbs under the table.
Then bad turned to worse. One rainy day I came home to two glowing faces: “Mommy, we cleaned out our closets today!!!”
“Hum,” I mused. “I don’t remember putting that on the list.” But I smiled and told them how proud I was for their initiative. Then I asked the fateful question: “Did you take the laundry off the line like I asked you to, before it started to rain?”
The faces before me fell as the tousled heads shook in unison: “No! We didn’t have time!”
Please understand. I was very happy my boys cleaned their closets. But let’s face it: Getting the laundry off the line before the rain starts is a bit higher priority than a routine closet cleaning!
What about you? Have YOU ever left any job half done? A job given to you, say, by God?
King Saul did. The story is found in 1 Sam. 15. Samuel, under God’s direction, tells King Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites – the king, the people, even the flocks and herds! But King Saul only partially obeys. He keeps the king alive, along with some of the choice livestock.
How did God respond? 1 Sam 15:11 – “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”
He “grieved” God. Sounds pretty bad! But it gets worse . . .
1 Sam 15:22-23: “Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, HE HAS REJECTED YOU AS KING.”
When Saul didn’t obey, his responsibility was taken away and given to someone more “worthy”!
We are no different, my friends. When we don’t do everything God tells us to do, we, also, grieve God, and we risk having our responsibilities given to another!
How many times have you only partially obeyed the Lord? How many times have you forgotten to sweep under the table? How many times have you cleaned the closet, when God really needed the laundry brought in before the rain? Think about it!
Love in Christ,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets ( www.scripturalnuggets.org ), Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org