Woe to Me If...

My life has dramatically changed. My mother-in-law has come to live with us as long as is appropriate. We invited her to live with us and are pleased she is here. This is not only an arrangement of altruism but also of necessity. She is currently unable to live in her home with her husband caring for her. As a result, our home is no longer the quiet, tranquil home of upper middle-aged adults. The addition of an invalid full-time resident and her spouse who spends most of the daylight hours here although he is not living with us is a bit of an alteration in my daily existence.

I am used to setting my own schedule while at home and doing whatever feels good at the moment. Actually, I am at home a surprisingly small amount of time, and when I am home, most likely I will be outside. Up until yesterday, I had been blessed with the opportunity to do as I pleased most of the time. That has all changed. I now have to prepare three well-balanced meals a day, provide nighttime monitoring, be engaged in conversation much of the day, and readily use encouraging words.

Shortly after I told her that Ray’s mom was coming to stay with us, my mother stated that I’d have to develop more patience. I thought I had developed a remarkable amount of patience with her after Daddy’s death three years ago. Apparently I need more. Only God can work the patience miracle in me.

How am I to develop enough patience and handle all of this change in my home—my sanctuary? While reading some passages in Isaiah tonight, God provided the answer. In the following passage, the context suggests that Egypt represents any one or any group who are ungodly.

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.” Isaiah 31:1 NIV

So, I am to seek help from God first. I am to go to him and seek his direction. If I rely on items the world would consider essential and not seek God, woe to me. If I seek advice/assistance from a source which God is not directing me toward, woe to me. God wants me to get my ego and my self-direction out of the way. He wants to be first in my life.

Lord, thank you for wanting to be first in my life. Make me willing to seek you before I take any actions. Thank you for directing Ray and I to bring his mother into our home. Please keep our focus on you as situations arise and circumstances change.