I woke up early today to spend some time reading the Bible and praying. I sat down with a nice hot cup of coffee, and set up my soaking music, had my journal on my lap and my Bible next to me. I was ready to go. And about 5 minutes into my special time, my son meandered his way into my office and sat down next to me. He was up early. Great.
What am I to do when I’ve made every effort to get with God alone and that effort is blown to bits? Well, in the past I would have gotten really frustrated and thrown a little pity party. But I’ve seen the futility of that approach so instead I tried to make the best of it. I sat him on my lap and began to read Mark chapter 9 aloud. He wasn’t really interested given that there were no pictures. So he started to bat the bible out of my hands, trying to get my attention and divert the activity to something more interesting. After a few attempts at doing both my God time and my son time, I relented and just started the day.
But I’m not going to lie, I was struggling to get my head above water.
I was trying to wrangle the kids and get them ready for the day and I mentioned to my hubby that I was on the struggle bus.
He prayed for me. And then not long after that I pulled out the eggs to start breakfast.
As I was cracking eggs, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, “This is worship.”
“What Lord? Really? Okay, help me then to understand.”
Then I realized that I had read a great verse about this very thing outloud to my son in my weak attempts to connect with God.
It’s Jesus talking about real greatness. And He says in Mark 9:37 “Whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes not only me, but the one who sent me.”
So let me get this straight. As I warmly receive my children in the morning and care for them and tend to them in a kind way, I am receiving the Lord Himself. As I make breakfast and create an environment of warmth and contentedness for their tummies and their souls, I am showing hospitality to them and to the Lord.
WOAH! This is a game changer. This really IS worship.
And while my time in the morning alone with God is great and I love it so much, I cannot segment my life out into my sweet sacred worship time alone and the secular rest of my life in the trenches of motherhood. My life, as I serve these little ones, and welcome them, and respond to their needs is poured out in worship every day. It’s done before the face of the almighty God and He receives my worship as a glorious, fragrant offering to Him.