Thursday, November 18, 2010

Two Sick Kids

Two sick kids, can really change a family routine and be very draining on their mother.  Someone has been battling some illness in this house for the past 2 months now (actually a week over 2 months)  and I just feel like throwing up my hands in surrender and telling God, "I don't want to be a parent today!"  Needless to say I may or may not be eating too much chocolate to deal with the stress right now.

I know I shouldn't complain, after all, with the exception of the flu that started this whole thing, all anyone has had in my family is a yucky cold (3 yucky colds to be exact).  Yucky, but certainly not hospital yucky, or force my husband to take off work yucky, but yucky none the less.  I'm so grateful that we are otherwise in very good health, however it's been very hard just going through our normal routines.  I've tried not to forget my prayer or devotion life but I'd be lying if I didn't say it's been somewhat neglected over the past few weeks.  My devotions keep getting pushed later and later into the day, today I looked at the clock and realized it was past 11:00 and I hadn't so much as told God hello, let alone asked him to help me. 

I was at a loss for where to start reading today, so I went to the back of my Bible to read one of their suggested studies on home life.  The verses they gave were Ephesians 5:15-6:4, but I didn't stop reading with verse 4, I finished chapter 6 and I realized something for the first time today.  Read the following passage and see if you notice it too. (I know it's a bit long but we can all use a bit more Bible reading right?)


Ephesians 5
15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
 18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Ephesians 6

 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
 2Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
 3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
 4And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
 5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
 6Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
 7With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
 8Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
 9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
 10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I always figured Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus about the armor of God so they could fight HUGE spiritual battles, like persecution, abandonment, or missionary work in hostile places.  Indeed these scriptures certainly apply in these cases, but the exciting thing to me is that Paul chose to write about the armour of God in the context of everyday life.
Paul was in the middle of telling women, men, children, and workers how to go about their normal routines, and then he says "oh by the way there's no way you can handle your daily affairs on your own without God's power and might, so you better put on His armour." 
There's no way I can handle a house with sick kids, or well kids, there's no way I can keep things running smoothly on my own, I need God's strength, and most importantly His armor to deal with those daily battles.  Putting on the armour of God isn't just about the big tribulations in our lives it's about being a good wife, mother, husband, or child.  It's something that we cannot do on our own.  I could certainly go on, but I think the passage speaks for itself.  I hope reading this familiar portion of scripture has blessed you.


Blessings,
Kasey