Self Preservation

We had a ladies event in the beginning of this year, where the theme was Abounding Grace. "We all have struggles but there is a bucket of grace that we can be refreshed from. Where HE refreshes us" - Mel Dyer. 
And the bucket of grace is actually a large jug, that we can pour out onto others. (I bought the blue jug, pictured, and the little milk jug was a gift!)

God wants us to make time to drink deep from the bucket of grace, so that we can overflow with grace for others.

It's all about JESUS.

So, Liezl, am I right to assume that you are advocating I be more of a millennial monk than a modern-day mom? And that I am to live in some sort of monastery? Just me and Jesus. *Stares*  

(Read the previous post)

That would be tempting. But no.

In my previous post, I mentioned the importance of embracing boundaries, but I am not referring to a self-preservation plan of doing the bare minimum. Of living a small and safe, SECLUDED life. I am definitely not saying that when the going gets tough, give in. Give up. Get out.

No.

We are called as Christ-followers to spend our lives for Christ and others; pouring ourselves out.

Like the example given by our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. He sweat blood, knowing full well what He was about to endure. But as He spent time with God, His Father, He was encouraged. And strengthened. (Read about it in Luke 22:41-43) The task remained tough. Yet He endured the trial of the cross triumphantly.

And mothering can be tough too.

Raising kids has its toothpaste-tube moments: what is really in our hearts will get squeezed out! Often, because we squeeze ourselves too hard. Hard-pressed. Pressurized to conform to the ideas and standards and expectations of our society; this world. It can cause us to become overwhelmed, over-burdened and/or to pull back and preserve what we have left of ourselves.

We need to be poured out, not pressed out!

It is not good to take on things that we were never meant to take on but it is also not good to ignore the things we are suppose to do.

Jesus knew His mission. He knew what He came to the earth to do. Even though He probably could've done it all... He ONLY did what God told Him to do!

To triumph in our task we need to get our life-order from God and let Him sustain us in it.

Mothering is a great life-order, with a clear directive to enjoy our kids and raise them to love God. 

As a wife: to respect and honour our husband, enjoy him, love him, fall more in love with him.

As a woman: to love God and love people. 

Newsflash!! You are in full-time ministry! 

Motherhood, marriage and womanhood are all areas that we minister into.

There is not much self-preservation in the above mentioned directives! Rather, a lot of pouring out. Presenting ourselves as a  living sacrifice*. And for that, we need to find our strength in a loving, always faithful Father.

“For every drop of crimson blood

Thus shed to make me live,

O wherefore, wherefore have not I

A thousand lives to give?”

- Spurgeon

It is often said that this life is no dress rehearsal. We don't have a thousand lives to give. We only live once. And when we live constant restless, overwhelmed, over-burdened, FOMO-driven lives, or instead, live pitiful little self-preserved lives, we will miss out on the grand adventure of a healthy, robust, solid, powerful, resourceful, forceful supernatural life!

Strong: to endure, firm, robust, healthy, unshakable, tough, solid, powerful, resourceful, zealous, influential, established, earnest. 

...Found only when we build on the solid foundation which is Christ.

*Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Find the time to drink deep from His bucket of Grace...