Anything Worth Doing

Today’s Devotional - April 6, 2020

This is a series of messages from the time of isolation during the COVID19 Response in Oregon, United States. 

Putting it into practice. We had a time of repentance and then prayer on Sunday morning. Both of these are practices that I encourage you to take-up and return to on your own (with your family) as well. 

Wonder how it looked at my house today? Late this morning, I gathered my family in the living room. I played background music on my guitar (a cd would have been good too). I asked Allana, Alex, and Abby to be ready to read Bible passages that have felt relevant in recent days. Alex read a few verses around 2 Chronicles 7:14. I invited all of us to pray according to the passage that we had just heard. Then Allana read from Isaiah 40:1-5 and we spent a few minutes praying through that passage. Finally, Abby read all of Psalm 24 and we spent some time praying according to Psalm 24. It was a good time. 

As I re-read that description, it sounds so delightful… and spiritual. I suppose it was, but this morning - and often - there are rather ungraceful moments. Interruptions are frequent, helping little children be quiet enough and helping big children be bold enough and ALL of us focused enough. 

But anything worth doing is worth doing badly.* 

Drowning in the ocean at night while surrounded by sharks? - Any cry for help is better than no cry for help. And exactly nobody is grading on grammar. 

Praying in front of a crowd in a giant cathedral? - In those moments, remember which WHO you are praying to and who you are praying for. God doesn’t grade on grammar either. 

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV) 

God isn’t impressed if you’re super-good looking… if you are, He gets the credit anyway. God isn’t awed by your finesse or suave. He gave you that too. Nor is He concerned with your lisp or when you struggle to find the right words or that your shoes are a worn out. He is, however, very aware of where your heart is. Are you aware of where your heart is?

*I don’t know if Tom Glogau coined the phrase, “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly”, but I’ve considered its significance countless times. In fact it’s one reason that I don’t play golf. (Golf is not worth doing badly) CPR, on the other hand, IS worth doing badly… so I’ve been through CPR training more than once. It turns out that praying is also worth doing badly… but - thankfully - practice makes perfect! 

Today’s Song: Defender as recorded by Rita Springer

Lyrics for “Defender” by Rita Springer

Verse 1:

You go before I know

That You've gone to win my war

You come back with the head of my enemy

You come back and You call it my victory

Verse 2:

You go before I know

That You've gone to win my war

Your love becomes my greatest defense

It leads me from the dry wilderness

Pre-Chorus:

All I did was praise

All I did was worship

All I did was bow down

All I did was stay still

Chorus: 

Hallelujah, You have saved me

So much better Your way

Hallelujah, great Defender

So much better Your way

Verse 3:

You know before I do

Where my heart can seek to find Your truth

Your mercy is the shade I'm living in

You restore my faith and hope again

Bridge: 

When I thought I lost me

You knew where I left me

You reintroduced me to Your love

You picked up all my pieces

Put me back together

You are the defender of my heart