It is Sufficient!

“I am not enchanted with today”. They were the words a friend of mine posted on her facebook wall yesterday.

Before I even landed my feet on the carpet this morning my mind echoed that very thought. It wasn’t going to be an enchanting day. With the stubborn tenacity that has come to be my mainstay these last several years, I rolled over and placed each throbbing foot on the floor and gingerly lifted myself up off the bed determined to not allow this disease to rob me of this day. I couldn’t help but muse “how old am I anyway? 80?” Then I was reminded of my mother who is 82 and springs out of bed ready for anything and I readjusted that to “ok maybe 90”.

I poured that crucial first cup of coffee and settled into the most comfortable spot commanded by my current condition. I heaved a sobering sigh as I thought of all the things that I had planned to do but knew would have to wait for another time. I have come to accept that when faced with this kind of day, agendas are going to have to be flexible. I’ve grown accustomed to those first several hours filled with confusion, stiffness and achiness that would override any schedule I might have and demand to be acknowledged. I have learned to adapt. While most days are walked out with a satisfying amount of productivity, there are these kind and they are less then enchanting.

As I sat sipping my coffee with my Bible opened in my lap, my mind started to flood with all manner of anxiety that I face when I am having a bad day. How will I get everything done now that I am behind schedule? Who will I have to disappoint today because I can’t come through for them? What if it isn’t only today? What if it gets worse? What if I am back in bed again like those days in the beginning? I have a tendency to escalate my fears.

It is then that I purposely reminded myself “it is sufficient”. I then pull out a worn index card and read, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

There is a certain daily-ness of God that I have come to learn to appreciate. God tells us several times in scripture not to think about tomorrow but to focus on the day at hand. His desire is for us to walk with Him daily with our attention directed on what He has planned for us on any singular day. I think we spend too much time thinking about the future and not enough about the present or even more importantly the past.

Every year we celebrate Passover in our home. The Passover meal is central around the Haggadah. The Haggadah means “the telling” and it is a story that is retold every year. It tells of the miraculous works of God as He cared for the children of Israel in ancient times through His mighty deliverance of them from slavery in Egypt. There is one particular part during “the telling” that I particularly enjoy. It is called “Dayenu” and it means “it would have been sufficient.” The speaker reads a sentence and the rest of the participants shout dayenu. Let me share this portion of my Haggadah with you.

“If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not judged the Egyptians,” dayenu
“If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea,”
dayenu
“If He had only drowned our enemies, but had not fed us with manna,”
dayenu
“If He had only led us through the desert, but had not given us the Sabbath,”
dayenu
If He had only given us the Torah, but not the land of Israel,
dayenu
But the Holy one, blessed be He, provided all of these blessings for our ancestors. And not only these, but so many more.”
(emphasis mine)

Can I draw your attention to the words that I have emphasized? I am always provoked by this part of the seder. If God had only rescued me from my past life apart from Him and made me His treasured possession, would that be sufficient? If God had only made me His child but not performed miraculous wonders would that be sufficient? If God gave me just enough grace for each day, would it be sufficient? Living in America, we can sometimes forget how much we have. We have more then enough but we often focus on what we don't have rather then what we do. I think that I sometimes fall into a spiritual greediness and find myself less then satisfied with what wonderful things God has already done for me and I direct my gaze at what I lack.

Jesus warned the disciples of this very thing. “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20) Just as Jesus gave the disciples a wake up call, sometimes I need one too. God had done so much for me, so what if I have an occasional bad day. I need to be careful not to forget what He has already accomplished in my life.

It is early afternoon and I still haven’t gotten any relief. It is pretty much settled at this point that other then this post not much will get accomplished. I am ok with that. His grace is indeed sufficient. If He had more planned for me then there would be more grace. “Sufficient for today is its own trouble.” I think I could do some baking for my family though. With a houseful of men with an innate love for home baked goods, that would surely veil any inadequacies of productivity. Hmm the smell of fresh baked cookies. I think that could make the day a little more enchanting.

Dayenu!?

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you may abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:8