Satan's in my Laundry Hamper

It's Monday.  That means back to my 'normal' weekly schedule...well, sort of.  It is summer break, so I don't have to get up quite so early to enjoy my alone time with God... so I allow myself another hour of sleep. 

I checked my alarm last night before going to bed.  Yep.  6:30 AM, repeat Monday through Friday.  And off to dreamland I went.  Had the strangest dream about praying with one of my friends...but anyway, as the sun began to brighten my bedroom, I began to stir.  At one point, I'm sure God whispered, "Get up, my child!  It's time for us to visit."  I hadn't heard my alarm go off, so I mumbled and rolled over, pulling my covers up over my head.  So, finally at 7:00 AM when my husband's alarm went off, I fumbled for my phone...and discovered that I hadn't actually turned on the alarm.  Oops.

But it's okay, I reasoned with myself.  Still plenty of time for God.  I'll just make some coffee and get right to Him.  Oh, and coffee for Randy.  And while I'm waiting for the coffee to brew, I'll just unload these dishes...and then load the dirty ones.  I take a cup of coffee into the bedroom for my husband, noticing a pile of laundry spilling out of the hamper.  Let me just sort these clothes and I can start one load before I sit down to pray and read my Bible.

Of course there are wet clothes in the washer.  And dry clothes in the dryer.  And no empty baskets to put them in, so I haul an arm-load of laundry to the dinner table, move the wet clothes, start the
washer...straighten up the laundry room, replace a trash bag...ok, now to go pray and read...

Then I remembered the tube of cinnamon roll dough in the fridge.  Caleb wanted them today for breakfast.  I'll just put them in the oven before I sit down...

I have to fold this load of clothes laying on the table before I can sit down...I mean seriously, who can earnestly pray with a pile of laundry mocking them?  Not me.  So I fold the clothes.  Finally able to sit down for 11 minutes and 42 seconds before the timer on the cinnamon rolls would go off, Randy walks into the family room and turns on the news.  I stare at the television.  Then I look at the open Bible on the table in front of me.  Then back at the television.  A father stabbed his son.  A teenager drowned trying to save his friend.  And there's a new exhibit at the zoo.  *sigh*

Satan has beat me again.  I'm sure I can hear his evil laugh coming from a pile of neatly folded laundry on the end of the table.  As I head to my room to make the bed, I prayed, "I'm not doing so well today, God.  I need your help."

I know I'm not alone in this battle.  I'm sure you've experienced much the same scenario.  Even the great apostle Paul did.  He writes in Romans 7 :15 (NIV):

"I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."

I don't know about you, but that offers me some peace, to know that someone as devout a follower of Jesus, had the same struggles I am having. And certainly everyone along the way since has chided themselves for the same fault.  Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), said "Hell is full of good intentions or desires."  What's that supposed to mean?  Good intentions and the desire to do good things won't get us to heaven.  Nope.  He's right about that.  But going back to what Paul said in Romans 7, keep reading...down to verse 25 (NIV):

"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

I want to get up early.  I intended to get up early.  I want to spend time with God before anything else.  That was my intention.  Our good intentions won't get us to heaven, but Jesus Christ will, if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.  I am so thankful for His grace and mercy!! 

We can live a life of purpose by daily laying our intentions at the foot of the cross and asking God to show us what to do.  I can pray for focus.  I can rebuke my laundry.  It's like training your muscles.  You work out and get stronger, but a few days away from the gym and it gets harder and harder to get back to it.  We build up our spiritual muscle when we learn to put first things first.  The rest will still be there when you get around to it...and even if it isn't, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?

I think I'll go back to bed and try this again. :)

Be blessed!