These days I am living in two time zones. It is 11:35 p.m. PCT in Victoria, BC. At the same time my body knows it is really 2:35 a.m. EST. It has been a long day. I reminded my audience of church planters tonight of Psalm 127:2
It is in vain that you rise up earlyand go late to rest,eating the bread of anxious toil;for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Sleep is God's gift. It's vanity to burn the candle at both ends. Reflecting on what God says, I know I need to get to bed. At the same time I shared with our church on Sunday that I would work out -- in the blog -- the four facets of the message, namely that since God's Word stands above our word we hear it, live it, teach it, and pray it. Today is the day I am supposed to be talking about "living it." God says,
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:22-25 ESV
I am caught between a rock and a hard place. Do I write the blog and live out "keep your oath even when it hurts" (Psalm 15:4), or do I go to bed and live out Psalm 127:2?
I'm going to bed . . . but not until I hit "send" with this reminder: "Living out" the Word is much more than blind obedience or cold, dutiful fulfillment. It is saying "Yes" to God because we know His Word is true. It is saying "Yes" to God because we love Him. It is saying "Yes" to God because we want that obedience to honor him and bless others. Say "Yes" to God.