Devoted?

This past Saturday, we had a busy morning. We canned pickles, washed dishes, and baked. Usually on Saturdays, I clean around the house. But this day, I was in the kitchen on my feet for 3+ hours straight. I was tired, even though I'd had coffee. Or maybe the coffee was wearing off. Our two younger girls still have a rest/ nap time, and there are lots of days that I'll join them. So on that Saturday, I laid down on my bed... Oh, it felt SO good!

Usually I have my quiet time/ devotion time before I rest/ nap. I've devoted myself to that time for years, ever since my oldest daughter was born. I am not a morning person, so nap time was an easier time for me to pray and focus on God. I have been reading my way through the New Testament the past few months, reading at least one chapter each day.

As I laid down that day, I thought to myself, "I don't wannnaaa read the Bible...Sigh." And I felt God speaking to me, "My child, why don't you desire to read My Word?" and I had a real sense that I was grieving God's heart with my laziness and lack of motivation to read His Word. "Ok, Lord, I will..."  I thought.

I opened my Bible that day, and I didn't remember that I had finished the book of Ephesians. The next book I was to begin was Philippians, one of my favorite books of the Bible. I also was not ready for the hit over the head that I got when reading the first chapter.  Verse 6 says... "Being confident of this, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

WOW! How's that for confirmation that I was doing what I needed to be doing! But wait, there's more! Verses 9 through 11... "And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight., so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God!"

My NIV Study Bible, which I have been reading, had a nice devotion about verse six that really spoke to me as well...
Unfinished projects. Unkept promises. Unfulfilled dreams. We all know the disappointment that comes with starting down a road with excitement and never seeming to reach the end. Our intentions are good at the start, but with time we lose steam. Now comes the good news. When it comes to our spiritual life and God's plans for us, we will not end in failure. The project will be finished. The promise will be kept. The dream will be realized... in living color! Why? How? What is so different about this project?
Paul is confident that the work will come to completion for one reason and one reason only. It is God's work, God's project, and He will do it! A promise is only as reliable as the one who makes it. This promise in Philippians 1:6 is made by the heavenly promise keeper, God Himself. He always keeps His promises. What good news!

I should have known that my AWESOME God would have something amazing in store for me. You can bet that I have been more joyfully reading His Word each day, wondering what jewel of grace or nugget of truth that He will give!

A few other verses that spoke to me from chapter one...
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." verse 21
"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." v 27

Do you have a quiet time each day? Do you need some inspiration? Try reading Philippians, it may just fire you up too!