Sunday Night Madness

Loving music as I do, when I sing in church, I feel so close to the Lord. The songs draw me nearer to God as I prepare my heart and mind for His message. With the peace that only God can give, I always love Sunday mornings as I feel God’s spirit nestled within me. For years I longed for that peace and closeness to stay with me throughout the week until I could be in the Lord’s house again.

However, Sunday evening would rear its annoying face as I thought of Monday’s stress engulfing me like a hurricane. The weight of the undone laundry hung on my shoulders and the load of ungraded papers would leer at me from my bookbag. 

• ungraded papers
• laundry basket still full
• dishes in the sink
• floors unvacuumed

Sure enough (as Nana would say), as Monday’s sun would rise, I rushed around getting the girls and myself ready for school. I was lucky if I remembered to whisper a prayer asking Him to be with me throughout the day. As the hours ticked and Tuesday dawned, my sprint continued, hoping to survive the day. Often I would make a promise to God that I would spend some time with Him that evening, which might or might not have been kept. 

Monday Morning Rush

Sure enough (as Nana would say), as Monday’s sun would rise, I rushed around getting the girls and myself ready for school. I was lucky if I remembered to whisper a prayer asking Him to be with me throughout the day. As the hours ticked and Tuesday dawned, my sprint continued, hoping to survive the day. Often I would make a promise to God that I would spend some time with Him that evening, which might or might not have been kept. 

Hump Day and Beyond

Wednesdays were better; I knew that by dusk I would be back in church with the kids for their activities. At times, I drug myself through the motions after a long day. Still I enjoyed the Christian fellowship and felt a little recharged. 

On Thursday mornings, I might have remembered to murmur a prayer at the red light while the girls were talking in the backseat. 

Gracious! When Friday would roll around, I was beyond thankful. Saying TGIF was about as close as I got to thinking of God. 

You might think that on Saturdays I could have found time for Him, but usually I was busy sleeping late, doing chores, and chauffeuring the girls to and fro. 

Come Sunday morning, after fighting the devil to make it to church, I would feel Jesus’ peaceful presence embracing me again. 

Drawing Nearer

Why was it so difficult to feel His companionship Monday through Friday? I was like the kid dashing out of a department store, obliviously running in the parking lot with cars everywhere. Meanwhile, the mom is trying to help guide the child safely to their van. Likewise, God had been by my side trying to guide me all week, but I kept wandering around amid the hazards of life.

I roamed from daylight to dark and meandered from Monday to Saturday amid obstacles, trying to find strength and peace to survive, but discovered little. I was attempting to navigate my daily life alone, while I had put God on a shelf during the week. Yes, I acknowledged Him as I stumbled along, but I was not asking Him to travel with me holding my hand. 

Though I don’t recall the words from the sermon that prompted the desire for change, I can distinctly recall tears in my eyes as I claimed I didn’t want to walk my daily path alone ever again. I wanted Jesus nine to five, five to nine, and repeat. 

The process to have Him with me in my highs and lows and everything in between was so simple. Connect everyday. 

• Read His word
• Talk to Him in prayer
• Be still and know that He is God

After making a commitment to spend quality time with him each day, I have found these words to be true: “The closer your walk with God, the less room for anything to come between.”