Feb 14, 2014
Ah, Valentine’s Day!! The mad dash to Wal-Mart to buy a card while fighting the other 50 guys who waited until the last minute, the frantic calls to restaurants to make a Valentine’s Day reservation ON Valentine’s Day, the realization we are going to eat somewhere food is ordered by the number, and sorting thru the dead flowers left at the bottom of the basket because I waited to late.
Sound familiar? I hope not because that disaster that will cost you more than you probably realize. That said I’m sure many have experienced something similar. After almost 31 years of marriage, I know exactly what Robin Stewart wants February 14 and also understand the order of importance:
5.Dinner at a nice restaurant…nice enough that I have to change clothes before we go.
4.A dozen red roses…in a vase not a plastic shopping bag (lady at Fresh Market is very helpful)
3.A thoughtful card that appears to have been purchased several days ago instead of several minutes ago. (Helpful hintguys…make sure the descriptions in the card match the ladyreceiving the card!)
2.When we sit for dinner, I put my phone away, ask “How was your day?” and then listen intently.
1.Evidence the evening was carefully planned by her husband(for example: having reservations vs. showing up and being told there is a 45 minute wait)
The plan is more important than the event because Robin wants to know I love her too much to just show up and wing it. I TELL her she is special to me, but this is a wonderful opportunity to SHOW her. When a female receives a gift and says, “It’s the thought that counts” she means it. The thought is the demonstration of love in the relationship. Poor or no planning sends a signal that she isn’t very important.
The same is true with my relationship with God. How often we just show up at church, with an old bent card, no gift, no evidence of any investment on our part, and just say, “God, I need some help”? Surely our relationship with our Father who loved us enough to send His only Son to die for our sins necessitates some thought and consideration?
God desires a relationship with me, yet I often treat Him as an afterthought. Instead of spending my first moment of the day in joyful appreciation I throw together a quick prayer sliding into bed at the end of the day (unless I am tired). I spend money foolishly then explain to God I would give more for the work of the kingdom if He would just, “bless me with more”. Instead of treating my relationship with Him as the most important one to me, I treat it as something worth at best an hour on Sunday morning. I get so busy with stuff that I forget He told me if I would seek Him first He would take care of all the “stuff” (Matt 6:33).
How it must break God’s heart when I arrive without my gift of praise and instead am only holding my list of needs. How it must frustrate Him when I always seem to find something else to do with the gifts He gave me instead of using them for the kingdom.
Early in our relationship we celebrated a Valentine’s Day with very little planning. It would have been easy for Robin to crush me for it,but she loved me enough to give me another chance. God does the same thing for us. It’s never too late to improve our relationship with him. Here are some simple steps:
1-Make Him your 1st thought instead of an afterthought. – He sent His Son to die for us surely we can live for Him.
2-Spend time daily thanking Him for who He is before we ask for anything. Then study the Word and ponder it throughout the day as He shows us what He wants us to see.
When Robin woke up this morning, I know she smiled because Feb 14 is always special. She knows she will get my best effort. I hope when I knelt before God this morning, He also smiled knowing He was going to get my best.
Chuck
Hebrews 12:1-2
No comments:
Post a Comment