I Don't Want To

I didn’t want to do my Bible study today.

Workmen had been at the house all day working on the bathroom remodeling project to make our bathroom more handicap friendly. To our chagrin, we discovered we were going to have to paint the ceiling tonight. We had planned on painting the walls before the commode and sink were installed. However, painting the ceiling was not even on our radar. This discovery meant a quick trip to the paint store right after supper. The store closed fifteen minutes before I arrived which necessitated I go to the next closest paint store. Ray stayed home to watch his mother and to paint the bathroom walls since we had already purchased that paint.

We were on a tight time schedule because we had to wait for workmen to leave, and Ray has an early bedtime because he takes the "wee hours of the morning" shift to care for his mother. Besides fixing supper and making the quick run to the paint store, I had to get her ready for bed and meet her other evening needs. Ray finished painting the ceiling and made it to bed only a half hour later than usual. While caring for his mother’s needs, I used a trim brush to do the detail work.

By the time I sat down, all I wanted to do was to pamper myself and read a magazine. I did not want to do my Bible study.

"You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 NIV

So what was wrong with reading the magazine? Nothing except I was putting more importance on a magazine than on God. I cannot believe I even could contemplate such a thing!

“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.” Isaiah 25:1 NIV

I would have missed the blessing of this verse if I had placed my selfishness above my love for God. I would have missed the joy of praising my Lord and Savior.

Lord, I confess that at the end of a busy day all I want to do is to pamper myself. Create within me a desire to indulge myself by becoming immersed in Scripture and prayer instead of worldly pleasures.