Oh God! Help me... there's simply so many things that I want to do - but have so much trouble prioritizing. Like typing encouragement emails to bless my dear bros and sisters, to do drawings to bless others' hearts, to spend quality time with others, to do little favours and errands... to strategize and implement for HopeTots... to enjoy little passions and hobbies... to do reading...

but i end up blog-surfing... and reading trivia on Wikipedia... and just feel melancholic at times...

and in the midst of it all this i remember something that i forgot: to spend quality time with the Lord in prayer.

then, these words of Martin Luther come into my mind: "I have so many things to do in a day, that I simply must begin the day with at least a few hours of prayer."



ah. i'm reminded that the tighter the time, the more sharply focussed i need to be. and i know that on my own i can't do it. i'm just too un-self-motivated, too phlegmatic and too passive.

but i remember that when i pray, in the midst of all the busyness and smoke and confusion of the 'battlefield of life', somehow He clears my mind to see clearly what to do, where to go, and when to go.

to pray, to pray and to pray.

Lord, there are so many things that i need to do today, that i simply must start the day in prayer.

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

ah. i think You are reminding me of what really counts - not the things i do, but the love behind all the things that i do.

Love God, and love His people. Didn't the Lord Jesus say that we shall remain in His love if we obey His command? And what is His command? To love each other as He has loved us.

:)

Thank You Lord. I think my mind is much calmer and more peaceful now. Now I can sleep in peace - just like what Ps Jeff wrote in his blog. :D Amen and Hallelujah!