Do you have a tendency to compartmentalize your life? Family, work, health, friends, finances, social activities? Do things have to be kept in their own little box, not touching or interfering? Like vegetables on a dinner plate, don’t let them blend.
Some people do that with the Lord.
It’s ok for Him to have their Sunday and even occasionally, when times are tough, to be brought into the areas of career or life’s passions but they aren’t ready to allow Him to permeate all the areas of their life.
I found an interesting assessment of the Lord in the book of I Kings. Benhadad had attacked King Ahab of Samaria. The Israelites had gone to aid in the fight. King Benhadad was defeated and look what he was told by his advisers.
“King Ben-Hadad’s officers said to him, ‘The gods of Israel are mountain gods. We fought in a mountain area, so the Israelites won. If we fight them on level ground, we will win.'” I Kings 20:23 ERV
Our God won’t be limited. He won’t be kept in a box. This was the Lord’s reply to their limiting of His involvement.
“A man of God came to the king of Israel with this message: ‘The Lord said, ‘The people of Aram said that I, the Lord, am a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys. So I will let you defeat this great army. Then all of you will know that I am the Lord, wherever you are!’” I Kings 20:28 ERV
The same holds true in our lives. God wants to be involved in every aspect. He has the knowledge, the plan and the power to bring us through in victory.
He wants us to depend upon Him for everything, not just the things we think are too big for us to handle on our own. I’ve learned that trusting the Lord with all I do has a better result.
“ All these good things will come upon you if you will obey the Lord your God. 3 Good will come to you in the city, and good will come to you in the country. 4 Good will come to your children, and the fruit of your ground, and the young of your animals. Your cattle and flock will have many young ones. 5 Good will come to your basket and your bread pan. 6 Good will come to you when you come in, and when you go out.” Deuteronomy 28:2-6 NLV
When we farmed alfalfa, we prayed over the crops and the weather. When we travel, we pray for safety on the roads both in the city and the country. We believe the Father to be involved in our home life and our work life – coming in and going out. Our Father wants to be the leading participant in our life’s story.
My question is this, where have we limited God? Isn’t it time to let Him have it all? Learn to live outside the box, “Then all of you will know that I am the Lord, wherever you are!’”
Amen and amen! This a great reminder Kristi, to not compartmentalize the Lord. But to go to Him and walk in His ways, in every corner of our life.
Thank you Heather. The Lord is so loving He doesn’t want us leaving anything outside of His control. What’s the old saying? FATHER knows best.