May 8

“Jesus, realizing that His role was that of a servant, never sought to initiate activity for the Father (Matthew 20:28)....The servant must be so alert to what the master is doing that whenever the master begins to move in a direction, the servant quickly joins him.”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, 5/8

Today I found myself “taking over” as I was helping someone.  It came so naturally that I was not aware I was doing it until the person reacted negatively toward me.  If I do this with people I’m sure I do it with God more than I realize or care to admit.  My intent is not to usurp the other person’s (or God’s) job, it’s that I’m so use to taking charge and initiating things in order to get them done that if they aren’t doing it fast enough or thorough enough, or properly by my standards, I go into my take charge mode.  I really must break this habit for that’s what it is.  It would be helpful if people would look me in the eye and say, “Cathy, I’ve got this under control.”  I think I could relax about it then.  This is what God is doing for me.  I know, because I’ve felt His kind and gentle hand on my shoulder as He turns my face toward His and looks me in the eye.  But there’s more that I can be doing to pay attention to what I’m doing so that I can see what God is doing around me so that I’ll be ready to serve in the way He desires--not my idea of how it should be done.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.” John 5:19