Every now and then, I sense the Lord reminding me to, “Take account”.
And this used to seriously freak me out.
Because as soon as I heard God saying this, I figured I had done something wrong!
Maybe I had splurged on one too many bubble teas, maybe I had spent too much time watching Netflix … no matter which area of my life God was about to begin speaking into, I automatically assumed I had done something wrong and now it was time to Take Account.
*dun dun dunnnn*
Verses like Matthew 12:36-37 would rattle around in my mind stirring up fear for judgement day and the accounts I’ll one day need to give… “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
I’ll be the first to confess, there was nothing holy about this fear.
It was driven by shame and guilt; built upon the assumption that “I am bad”.
God was, apparently, choosing to cut to the chase and not even wait for Judgement Day!! It was time now and my instructions had been given… Take Account.
Of course, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and neither are God’s ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8). And whilst “the kindness of God leads to repentance” (Romans 2:4), God asking me to take account wasn’t even meant for me to repent of anything!
(Except perhaps my tendency to catastrophize 😅)
Instead, God was reminding me to consider his faithfulness. To look back over the past month and to see the ways my heavenly Father had come through for me. To look back and count up the times God had made a way for me where there was no way. To consider the friendships I hold dear and the memories that instantly bring a smile to my face. To take account of the blessings and lessons and wonder in my life.
Man.
God really is good, eh?!
One of the ways we can practically guard our hearts and our minds against becoming too familiar with the miracle of God’s presence in our lives, is to pause long enough to take account.
One of the ways we can fight against comparison is by giving thanks! By taking account of the countless ways God is working in our midst.
And so, Lifespring, I encourage you to take account!
There will be times when this leads us to repentance and perhaps a lesson or two about self-control… there will also be many, many times when God brings you into a new level of awareness to the incredible things happening around you!
With today being Saint Patrick’s Day, I wanted to leave you with a portion of the prayer he had inscribed on his breastplate! May these words ring out in our minds louder than any doubt or fear and bring us ever closer to our Lord Jesus.
” . . . I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.. . .
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.I arise today
lorica of saint patrick
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.”
[ You can read the rest of Saint Patrick’s famous prayer here: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/lorica-of-saint-patrick-349 ]