Ordained and Sustained

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

-Psalm 3:5

We live in a world that is so focused on living a life that looks like waking up and hitting the ground running. Rest is something the world strives to remove from our schedules, because it tries to convince us that rest makes us fall behind. That if we are not constantly doing something, we have no purpose. How interesting that contrarily, the Bible is FILLED with how the Lord leads us to and gives us rest. Coincidence that the world opposes the Word? I think not. It's completely intentional on the devil's side. The devil wants to lead us to stress instead of rest. Running, pushing, doing, completing, performing, outdoing, instead of resting. Because if the devil can keep us going, he'll run us dry. We become exhausted and worn out, but according to him, we still can't rest, so we die spiritually. That's his goal. In the midst of the busyness of life, we miss the beauty of it.

We wake up and just get on with our day. We forget to realize what a privilege it is that we just got out of bed. That's why I love this verse! "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me," Each night we sleep, each morning we rise, why? Because the Lord SUSTAINS you. Nothing in and of yourself wakes you up. He does. But we don't slow down enough anymore to step back and thank the Lord for a new day! We just expect it, instead of appreciate it. We even have those days where getting out of bed is hard, doing the day is hard, and we go about with shoulders dropped all sluggish. But what if even those hard days were filled with praise, honor, thanksgiving? Everyday, even the hard ones, are days the Lord ordained and that He sustains you for. Sustain means to strengthen or support physically or mentally, to give support or relief to. Everyday He is supporting and strengthening you. He doesn't bring you to a new day and leave you, He SUSTAINS you. Everyday He ordains is followed by sustainment. So, when you wake up, know He isn't done with you, and He is sustaining you. When you wake up, acknowledge that the reason you're awake is because of the Lord. Be thankful for the new days and the new mercies that come with them. That the reason you're awake is a miracle in itself and is something to give God glory for, regardless of how you feel about the day. Your circumstances don't take away the beauty that God chose to wake you up today. Circumstances will constantly change, don't idolize them. Don't put them before Him. Rather, give glory to the One who will never change, who has ordained the day you're living in, and is sustaining you through it all. I am thankful for a God who ordains and sustains. How amazing that we are thought about, considered, cared for. How grateful I am that He is not a God who voids everything and has no order, who leaves us alone to fend for ourselves. No, He is a God of ordination and sustainment. Don't forget to marvel at the fact that you woke up this morning. Don't forget to fall at His feet in thankfulness and give Him the glory He oh so deserves. Why did you wake up? Because. THE LORD SUSTAINS ME.

He is the reason.