Open the blinds!

2:03 p.m. Today's project was to write about "Daily Diligence," for our women's ministry Heart to Home, tonight at Calvary Chapel Moreno Valley. I have taught women biblical and economical homemaking principles for years, beginning with the Willing Hearts, Willing Hands ministry we founded in the 1990's at Harvest Christian Fellowship. It was tempting to find old notes, but I wanted tonight's lesson to be a fresh work of the Holy Spirit.

Returning home after two late morning appointments, I was able to get my notes prepared, both for the devotional I'll open class with and the "Daily Diligence" material itself. I am really praising God, because the morning did not start auspiciously.

I woke up an hour too early, quite agitated over the way either a mole or a gopher has been killing our big, beautiful broccoli plants that were already producing. Poison is out of the question for an organic garden; and the battery-operated "Mole Mover" that kept our garden safe last year by sending vibrations underground clearly wasn't working, despite having new batteries and sending out a feeble blink. Last night Steve and I bought a solar-powered version, but it needs two days of sunlight to power up the solar cells before you can turn in on. We are down to three plants out of the original nine! If it seems trivial, think of a farmer losing one-third of his crop--it would be devastating! Our garden has provided food for us, and those plants represent an investment of time and treasure. I can identify with the sower of seed in Jesus' parable of the sower in Luke 8:5, who lost some when "the birds of the air devoured it."

One thing I noticed each morning as I entered my office with my coffee to begin my daily Bible reading, is that I'd open the blinds, see another broccoli plant on the ground, and begin my day in a down mood. Before long, however, the Word, prayer, and journalling about much more important needs would snap me out of it, glory to God. The Lord uses that dedicated time to love and encourage me, directing me to a new thought or concept each morning, even after 31 years as a believer. He is so faithful!

But this morning, having awakened in a grim mood, despite the praise song the Lord sent me to soothe my soul, I simply turned on the light in the room and didn't open the blinds. (As if that would change the "facts on the ground" outside!) I had had it, and did not want to lose my focus.

Our morning went smoothly. When I came home, I felt prayed up and bolstered by the Bible studies I'd heard on the radio, so I walked into my office, opened the blinds and found, praise the Lord, our three broccoli plants standing! It was solely the Lord, because our gopher-abatement implements sure aren't working. I love the way God reminds Job that He is the master of all living creatures, in Chapter 39. In verse 26-27 He asks Job,

Does the hawk fly by your wisdom,

And spread its wings toward the south?

Does the eagle mount up at your command,

And make its nest on high?

When Jesus arose from the storm-tossed boat and "rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' " in Mark 4:39, the disciples "feared exceedingly, and said to one another, 'Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him !' "

Who, indeed? The Creator of the Universe, God the Son, my beloved Lord Jesus Christ! And not one of my problems, whether on the ground or under the ground, is too big for Him!