Just in case

The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. (Matthew 25:4)

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)

A friend at book club the other day referred to me as a writer. Me? A writer? No, not really. Writers do lots of research and develop characters and story lines. Their writings are in depth and are pages and pages long . A secretary maybe. I'm comfortable being called a good secretary.

You see, my blog postings are not something I sit down and try to write some intelligent insight on a certain topic. My postings are straight from my morning prayer journal. Ramblings between me and God, really. I feel kind of like a secretary. And there are times when I just sense that something should be shared. So I do.

When several days pass by with no postings, I think about it but I don't try to write. I just keep my times with the Lord every morning and keep journaling. I just want to sit there and afford Him an opportunity to speak ... to my soul. For Your servant is listening ... I am ready, Lord. I am ready.

Which all made me stop and think about reading the Bible every morning and occasionally feeling like I'm not getting anything out of it. Sometimes the story is all too familiar and I'm not seeing anything new. Sometimes I really try to ponder and reflect. But still don't sense anything "happening". But ...

But, then an instance comes along, days or weeks later, where that very passage I was bored with, is recalled with vibrancy. Pow! And I wonder how I ever remembered that. There's His Word - guiding me through; lighting my path. His Word that I have been faithfully reading on a regular basis - there it is - helping me. It somehow got instilled in me for future use. I've been carrying it around in me. I was prepared.

Dieters and exercisers often have to work and not see immediate results. Or disciplining children over and over about the same thing. You need to plan and prepare ahead for future events. I am going to eat this and not that. I am going to the gym after work - no excuses. I will be consistent.  I will be stronger. I will be wise about this.  The same is true for your spiritual health and strength. You don't know what's down the road. The best thing to do is to keep returning to the Word.

Days will come when you need to already be - strong, determined, self disciplined, self-controlled. Ready.

So, be wise. Get at it. And be ready.