Ants Marching
We had a wonderful Christmas! Which I am super thankful for, especially after the thoughts and struggles I had going into it. It was so much easier to get into the Christmas spirit watching my 9 yr old reading the story of the birth of Jesus to his 3 siblings and having them all so engaged. They were right there as soon as he opened the Bible. It makes my heart overflow with love. Thank you Lord for Your Faithfulness! See aren't they precious???
As we inch closer toward 2016, I am finding myself still stuck in a bit of the "blues". Still. I defiantly had a refrain during the parties we did have. Although, I still feel a little like Eeyore, from Winnie the Pooh. Which leads my thinking, if not kept in check, to be like this..."everyday is the same, nothing ever changes. Life marches on whether we are actively involved or not". There is truth in this thought process, but not Truth.
So last night as I was praying for those in my life struggling with disease, I had this image of ants marching in a line. It was thick line with lots ants. When one ant would step out of line for one reason or another and another would take it's spot. The destination of where these ants were marching was hell, that was very clear to me. Then one ant caught my attention as it stepped out of line and moved into another much smaller line of ants moving in another direction. Their destination was the Kingdom of God. They looked different and their movements were different, they were different. The way they went about their work was different. I wondered about the ants in the vision. I know what it means, but also why would God give me a vision about ants of all things.
I woke up this morning still thinking about my friends and these ants. My thoughts started to go towards the Eeyore side and I remembered that I read about a great wise king in the Bible who also struggled with thoughts similar to these. Although separated by death, time, culture, oh and circimstance, I have often found my thoughts mirroring his. This great and wise king was King Solomon. My thoughts kind of line up with his in the first part of Ecclesiastes. Chapter 1 verse 2 says "Vanity of vanities" Or from The Voice "Life is fleeting, like a passing mist. It is like trying to catch hold of a breath".
My mind says it's all vanity! All of it! Every waking moment means nothing, in the end of the day I will go to bed and nothing will have changed, people I love are sick and nothing changed. My kids still have problems, I still have problems, nothing has changed! Our life looks just like it did yesterday! "Life is fleeting, like a passing mist. It is like trying to catch hold of a breath," what is the point?
That mind set, which I get stuck in, keeps me in the line of ants that is moving to hell. I am sure of where I am spending eternity, but this thought process for sure isn't getting Kingdom work done. It keeps me separate from the ones I am to work with. It keeps me from knowing and believing in a Faithful, True, Healing God who changes my daily life in more ways that I often observe. I am blinded to seeing His goodness, because I think nothing ever changes!
Solomon tried many things to change this mind set, he, like us wanted there to be more, better than what we see touch and feel. He had God given wisdom that helped him amass riches and wives, and pleasures that we think would make us happy. He still wasn't happy. He understood that things can't fill the soul, can't bring joy to the very heart of our beings. This is a lesson that I am reminded of during this season of my life. My "work" will only bring joy if I keep my mind and heart of the Lord.
I don't know about you but it is hard work to continue to think like Eeyore. It is draining of energy and joy, of hope, and happiness. I don't want the days on my life to be tinted by this Life draining thinking. I know that it isn't an easy road, sometimes we struggle with this mindset for years instead of moments. It is one that will keep you from the ants doing the Kingdom work on this earth. It consistently steals what the Lord gives you daily, joy, peace, patient, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The Fruits of the Spirit are available and new every day.
So today I choose to seek the Lord and His tasks for me today. I will set joy in my heart for the task set before me. I will "Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what He has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful , But in the day of adversity consider; Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other." ( Ecclesiastes 7:13&14) I will trust that His ways, even if I don't understand them or like them, are better than my ways. I will lift up those on my heart continuously today, but with a trust in my heart. Eyes focused on Him not on worldly vanities. Because the vanities of life can suck us into a void that keeps up from doing what God called us to do today!
So last night as I was praying for those in my life struggling with disease, I had this image of ants marching in a line. It was thick line with lots ants. When one ant would step out of line for one reason or another and another would take it's spot. The destination of where these ants were marching was hell, that was very clear to me. Then one ant caught my attention as it stepped out of line and moved into another much smaller line of ants moving in another direction. Their destination was the Kingdom of God. They looked different and their movements were different, they were different. The way they went about their work was different. I wondered about the ants in the vision. I know what it means, but also why would God give me a vision about ants of all things.
I woke up this morning still thinking about my friends and these ants. My thoughts started to go towards the Eeyore side and I remembered that I read about a great wise king in the Bible who also struggled with thoughts similar to these. Although separated by death, time, culture, oh and circimstance, I have often found my thoughts mirroring his. This great and wise king was King Solomon. My thoughts kind of line up with his in the first part of Ecclesiastes. Chapter 1 verse 2 says "Vanity of vanities" Or from The Voice "Life is fleeting, like a passing mist. It is like trying to catch hold of a breath".
My mind says it's all vanity! All of it! Every waking moment means nothing, in the end of the day I will go to bed and nothing will have changed, people I love are sick and nothing changed. My kids still have problems, I still have problems, nothing has changed! Our life looks just like it did yesterday! "Life is fleeting, like a passing mist. It is like trying to catch hold of a breath," what is the point?
That mind set, which I get stuck in, keeps me in the line of ants that is moving to hell. I am sure of where I am spending eternity, but this thought process for sure isn't getting Kingdom work done. It keeps me separate from the ones I am to work with. It keeps me from knowing and believing in a Faithful, True, Healing God who changes my daily life in more ways that I often observe. I am blinded to seeing His goodness, because I think nothing ever changes!
Solomon tried many things to change this mind set, he, like us wanted there to be more, better than what we see touch and feel. He had God given wisdom that helped him amass riches and wives, and pleasures that we think would make us happy. He still wasn't happy. He understood that things can't fill the soul, can't bring joy to the very heart of our beings. This is a lesson that I am reminded of during this season of my life. My "work" will only bring joy if I keep my mind and heart of the Lord.
I don't know about you but it is hard work to continue to think like Eeyore. It is draining of energy and joy, of hope, and happiness. I don't want the days on my life to be tinted by this Life draining thinking. I know that it isn't an easy road, sometimes we struggle with this mindset for years instead of moments. It is one that will keep you from the ants doing the Kingdom work on this earth. It consistently steals what the Lord gives you daily, joy, peace, patient, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The Fruits of the Spirit are available and new every day.
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 Rememer your Creator before the silver cord is loosed...
So today I choose to seek the Lord and His tasks for me today. I will set joy in my heart for the task set before me. I will "Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what He has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful , But in the day of adversity consider; Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other." ( Ecclesiastes 7:13&14) I will trust that His ways, even if I don't understand them or like them, are better than my ways. I will lift up those on my heart continuously today, but with a trust in my heart. Eyes focused on Him not on worldly vanities. Because the vanities of life can suck us into a void that keeps up from doing what God called us to do today!
Lord, today my eyes are on you! Let my heart be set on the Kingdom work you have today. Fill my life with Your joy. Let this life be more that a whisper of breath, let it be filled with Your Holy Breath that draws others to you. I give to You my concerns and trust You hold them better than I do. I have open hands and an open heart.
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