...don't worry about missing out...

"steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. don't worry about missing out." - matthew 6:33 (the message) i've been frustrated with myself lately - i don't know if anyone reading this will relate, but so often i try so hard to be so good at everything that i end up having a few days of amazing results and then, inevitably, something starts slipping and falls through the cracks and then i struggle with discouragement which leads to justification which leads to acceptance which leads to frustration which starts me off again. i get all geared up to be perfect, check off everything on my list and do it all with a beautiful smile, gracious spirit and unsmudged mascara. family, friends, work, ministry, my team, my dog, my nails, laundry, exercise, prayer time, soul-winning, grocery shopping, communicate......life!!!! this scripture in matthew's gospel is helping me focus... the word 'steep' means 'to thoroughly saturate or immerse.' immerse your life in God-reality - whose reality consumes me? whose reality am i basing choices and priorities on? saturate your life in God-initiative - would Jesus walk the paths i'm choosing? would He be involved in the projects i'm involved in? would He see what i see as important? when i see things from the perspective of His reality, i'll easily be involved in His initiatives. for example, there are these kids i often pass on a route i use to drive home - precious kids begging for their next meal. the other day, a friend of mine and i took some time to buy some groceries to give to them. the look on their faces when going through the bags of food? priceless. the intensity of one of them looking up at us and genuinely saying, "may God bless you"? powerful. when i see things in His reality, i will get involved in His initiatives, and when i do that, i will live in His provision. this is helping me live each day with the right priorities... another translation of matthew 6:33 says "seek God's kingdom first, then He'll give you all you need." i want to make a difference. i want to make an impact. i don't want to miss a thing... His reality. His initiative. His provisions.