"When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." John 1:48
We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us. "If God gives the call, of course I will rise to the occasion." You will not unless you have been the real thing before God there. If you are not doing the thing that lies nearest, because God has engineered it; when the crisis comes instead of being revealed as fit, you will be revealed as unfit. Crisis always reveals character.
The private relationship of worshipping God is the great essential of fitness. The time comes when there is no more "fig-tree" life possible, when it is out into the open, out into the glare and into the work, and you will find yourself of no value there if you have not been worshipping as the occasion serves you in your home. Worship aright in your private relationships, then when God sets you free you will be ready, because in the unseen life which one saw but God you have become perfectly fit, and when the strain comes you can be relied upon by God.
"I can't be expected to live the sanctified life in the circumstances I am in; I have no time for praying just now, no time for bible reading, my opportunity hasn't come yet; when it does, of course I shall be all right." No, you will not. If you have not been worshipping as occasion serves, when you get into work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you.
The workshop of missionary munitions is the hidden, personal, worshipping life of the saint.
What a great reminder for us to worship our King at all times, not just when we're in church, or when we're doing our devotions but at all times! As we just read, if we aren't worshipping as the occasion serves how will we ever stand the storm? So my question for all of you is "Are you worshipping as the occasion serves?" When you're doing the dishes, laundry or even mowing the yard? What about when you're driving (walking or riding) to work or school?
As soon as I'd finished reading this devotion, I got up to use the restroom (I had a LARGE cup of coffee this morning :)). I realized how dirty the bathrooms were and knowing that this week was mine and Esther’s week to clean them; I decided to put the rest of my devotions on hold and do some quick cleaning. As I was cleaning I begin to think about what I had just read, and I realized I needed to seize the moment! So right there in the dirty bathroom I began to worship, I started singing a favorite hymn. And once I fished singing I started to pray and just praise God for who He is and for what He is teaching me. I have found that when God is teaching us something, He will always give us the opportunity to put that which He is teaching us into practice. So I had a beautiful time of praise and worship this morning as I cleaned the bathrooms :)!
Love Always, Brittany
