Life is more than just daily...

I read this devotional written by Joni Eareckson Tada on an adoption blog the other day and have not been able to get it out of my head...and I really don't want to.

Life Is So Daily

Your strength will equal your days.
--Deuteronomy 33:25b

Have you ever thought of your days as so...daily? The minute you open your eyes in the morning you can feel yourself shifting into routine. Turn off alarm. Fling back covers. Put feet in slippers. Turn on shower. Squeeze toothpaste on brush while shower heats up. Like I said: It's so daily.

That's especially true for me. I wake up every morning to the exact same series of events. A friend comes into the bedroom, turns on the tap to warm the water, heads for the kitchen and pours coffee, comes back and puts the coffee straw in my mouth and begins to put my legs through their range-of-motion exercise routine. After that, it's a bath, get dressed, and be lifted into my wheelchair. Some days I wish the routine could vary, but like you, I must accept the daily-ness.

My friend Shirley Locker, who is also disabled, once reminded me that our daily challenges have rewards for those who trust God for hour-by-hour (sometimes minute-by-minute) strength. God promises, "Your strength will equal your days."

No matter how deep the rut of your daily routine, satisfaction in the Lord Jesus can be deeper still. In fact, God invites us to know His satisfaction on a more profound level as we remind ourselves to go to Him for grace, especially during those so-called boring hours when we feel our life is on automatic. He knows that's when we need Him most.

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No matter how much the "same" your day appears, God's grace will make it different because His grace is fresh every morning. Lamentations 2 tells us His love and compassion are new every morning. What a relief. What parts of your day are routine? Why not infuse them with life by inviting God to be a part of them? Memorize Scripture during your bathroom routines, and pray while you're dressing.

Thank You, Lord, that Your strength and grace are daily--not that they're routine, but that they're consistently available. Every day. Every hour. Every moment. Help me to draw on them today.

Blessings,

Joni and Friends

Taken from More Precious Than Silver. Copyright © 1998 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530