BEing together

I have been thinking a lot lately about family and the reality of sticking together.  The reality of the strength of STANDing together.  The reality of the strength of simply BEing together.

My current purpose in life is to BE here with my family in this season.  One of the hardest things I continue to realize is that it is much easier to DO FOR JESUS, than to DO WITH JESUS.

I love the idea of BEING present when life is seemingly fun and uneventful.  Like the days of being on a hike, or cliff jumping, or going for a surf or some other fun outing. It is somewhat easy to enjoy those days.

But even on those days often are we thinking of what is next, what are we going to eat, where can I get some coffee, or stressing about what is waiting for you on Monday.

There is always going to be the pressing reality of what might come tomorrow.  The reality of the unknown pressures of life.  Sometimes we even make up pressures to have something to worry about.

Oswald Chambers says:

“Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him… We are not sent to battle for GOD, but to be used by God in His battlings.” [Oswald Chambers. My Utmost For His Highest]

I am constantly reminded of the tension between doing and being.  They must go hand and hand.  But the reality of BEING present far outweighs any “doing” that we can accomplish.

Well wait a second.  What if we changed our idea or even definition of “doing”?  What if we saw the value of being present with people and saw it as an act of DOING?

Right now my doing includes BEING here, present, in AMERICA with my family.  Spending time with my 2.5 year old nephew and HELPING with the day to day things of life.  Loving my family members, supporting and STANDING with them.

My DOING does not produce the fruit of much money or even a completed object that is physically built.  But rather the fruit is in the PEOPLE.  In sharing of my presence and what I have to give with those closest to me.

The fruit is also in what they have to give to me in this time.  There are some seasons where the goal is to simply hold each other up as life continues to come.  As each sunrise and sunset comes.  To know that we are not alone.

This blog is more for me than it is for you. (I wrote it a couple weeks ago)

My life has been full of going and doing things for/with the LORD all around the globe.  I need to be reminded that this current season I find myself in is just as important, if not more.  I am a doer.  I love being busy.

For now I will let the Lord open my eyes to the reality of HIS hand in my LIFE.  The reality that I am where I am suppose to be.  That trumps any of my inclination to DO things for HIM.

Today I will fight….simply by STANDING with those closest to me.