this to worship only...

I bet you could have guessed...
that I'm one of those!
You know, those...
A Box-Checker
A To-Do List Maker.
A Neat Freak.
And yep, you guessed it,
even more dreaded...
A Bed Maker.

Every morning, first thing
I've just got to pull up the sheets, just so
and get my bed all made up
so that every time I walk through the room
I can think straight and not be distracted.

I've heard all the arguments...
like, "Who really cares," and
"No one's going to see it."

But I can't really explain how it is inside.
I just can't function properly when things
are out of order.

It's almost like there's this hot coal
setting on my brain and I've got to toss it off
or get it extinguished before anything else
can be processed that day.

And making the bed is one of those.
It sets my day on it's way to being in order.
But that's just an example.
To-Do Lists are also like that.
They help me get things down on paper
so that I don't have to keep them suspended,
juggled somewhere in my memory
while my mind wants to wander off
to some more creative place.

It simply gives me a place of peace
when I know it's written down somewhere
and puts order to my day.

That's one of my great connectors with God.
He is a God of order...
the sun, the moon, the stars,
all lined up, all taking their place
in time and space
bringing us day and night without fail.

That is order.
And now, I've found in a Psalm
A To-Do List
filled with action verbs
and short, distinct instructions.

God wrote this list down for us.
So we wouldn't have to
keep these suspended,
juggled somewhere in our memory
while we may want to wander off
to some more worldly place.

He simply gave it to us
as a way to express our love,
as a way to find our place of peace.
To simply know
it's written down somewhere
not a mandatory check list,
but a way to connect with Him...
the Creator,
Savior,
Redeemer, and
Friend.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works
which He has done, His wonders,
and the judgments of His mouth,
O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob,
His chosen ones!
Psalm 105:1-6 NKJV

​How beautiful, how orderly,
how worthy of worship and praise.

The God of the heavens has set about
giving us a plan for each day.
Not one that is overwhelming
or limited just to Sunday morning.

He desires that even amid our everyday lives
as we get ready, take care of our families,
go to work, clean house, do laundry,
make dinner, pay bills, do yard work,
raise children, laugh and play,
and even carry the burdens of life...
this God of the universe,
wants us to include Him.

Thank You, Lord,
for appealing to my sense of order.
How wonderful that I may call You Lord.

I know I do not have to
check these all off.
I know these are not required
in order for You to love me.
Nor for me to show love to You.

But these things I do...
to show my worship.
My gratitude,
for all that You have done.

Word of God
train me, today...
to love the Lord in worship,
to honor Him throughout my day.