a new chapter has begun.
it's fall. it's fall around me and it's fall in my life.
my fall will be a productive fall ... not productive with activity, but productive in relationship. i read a devotional online this morning, and these words impacted me in a huge way:
"His desire is to have a relationship with us - an ongoing, long-term relationship that bears lasting fruit."
i've known that all along. it's the greatest commandment that Jesus spoke of:
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."
when we purposefully do the first - the second naturally follows. my heart actually aches when i realize how so much busyness and activity have taken priority in my life in years gone by - so that the most important thing has often been made secondary. it's a sneaky thing, really. it's only when the season of activity subsides that you can take inventory of what's left.
a relationship with Jesus is a marriage. how often do marriages fall apart, ending in divorce after the children have grown up and left the home? throughout all the years of that relationship, the priorities of husband and wife faded and took second place. the busyness of raising kids and just life in general took over - making money, paying bills, running here and there. time and purpose weren't spent growing that marriage. slowly, over many years, the relationship drifted apart and became anemic. the thing is … it just became 'the way life is' and wasn't really noticed much. it's just how the marriage evolved. it wasn't realized until all that activity and busyness ended and, stripped bare, what was left?
i am so thankful that, even though this season leaves a huge hole in my life, i have a marriage that is strong and loving. it's exciting really. i feel like we are moving into a 'honeymoon stage' that we didn't have at the beginning because, from the time we met, we had a family. now it's just us. and that is going to be good.
most importantly, in my life, i want to nurture and impassion a closer relationship with Jesus. i have more time than ever now. it would be so easy to fill it up with activity. i mean, i'm in a season where i can afford to do what i want to do and go where i want to go. i love being occupied in the planning of new things. that surely is my tendency.
but i will not choose that.
as hard as it is to 'be still' … that i will be!
"Come, Lord Jesus. I want to know You more than ever before."
and in that 'knowing' this fall season will be full of a harvest of good fruit.
