And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 (NLT)
I am married to a wonderful man. Truly blessed to have him in my life but some days.....I am sure we all feel that way about our spouses or significant others. Some days I don't appreciate him so much.
A few weeks back things were pretty hectic at our house. Honestly, things are often pretty hectic at our house so on this night, we were a notch above "normal hectic." Hubby said he'd cook dinner while I watched our grandson. We also had family visiting and my son was sick. Did I mention my 89 year-old father-in-law lives with us? I think all that appropriately sets the stage for the evening.
As my husband was finishing up dinner, he tells me (in what I perceived to be a gruff way) to clear and set the table. Well, I was watching our grandson, who you can't leave alone because he's young and doesn't sit still. I didn't like the way he said it. And I thought "Well, when I cook dinner I cook the dinner and I set the table. You can't do both?" I had some other choice thoughts directed at him that I won't share.
What other thought did I have? Don't say anything. Be a servant. Are you kidding me? And again. Be a servant. "OK Lord." And I got up, asked my niece to keep an eye on the wee one and I went and cleared and set the table. And my heart was glad.
I wish I could say all of my encounters with the Holy Spirit went this well. I wish I could say that I always listened and did what I was told. I am sorry to say, I don't always. But this time I did. And it made me really happy to be able to do it. What made me even happier is to find this text in Romans 5:5.
I know on my own I would have had a not-so-family-oriented retort for my husband if God was not in the picture. As a matter of fact, I know that if God wasn't in the picture I probably wouldn't be the person I am today. I would be way more selfish and way more outspoken about other people and their faults. God has taken my natural bend and over the years bent it toward who he knows I can be. God truly puts love in my heart when I need it (and especially when I think I don't). He keeps reaching for the closed up places and opens them so I can trust and give back to others. Why? Because he loves me and he wants me to be all that I can be.
It’s not just like this for me. He’s doing the same for you. Why? Because he loves you and he wants you to be all you can be. God doesn’t really care who sets the table. What he cares about is where your heart is and how you are using it as you do this thing called life.