Most of us are still “sheltering in place” as the pandemic rages on into 2021. I for one have been guilty of taking my time in the morning to take off my PJ’s and get dressed when I know I’m not going out. But when it comes to making my bed and doing the dishes that is another subject. There is something about making my bed every day that is a signal in my that the day has started and to get moving and accomplish something. Crawling back into the warm blankets is not an option and if my bed is made. God is patient and kind but sometimes He reminds us that we need to get going and it starts with making your bed – not going back.
2020 is past. Are you still in bed?
We can’t see what the future holds which is why we need the Holy Spirit to envelop us – surround us. We need to get out of our head and lie in the sustaining arms of God. It means trusting in His super-natural presence that is beyond our natural eyes and the constant noise of impending doom. Prayer and Bible reading is the way we make our bed spiritually. We discipline ourselves to put God first and walk in His moment to moment instructions. We tidy up any momentary fears when we pray and rest in the authority of God’s Word. Fears about everything are running rampant today and they will constantly haunt us if we don’t clear them from our minds. I keep the hymn, I Know Who Holds the Future as a source of strength running instead in my head, “I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.” So… make your bed – clean up your thoughts, in prayer and Bible engagement and remember the consistent assurance of God’s presence is with you each day. Paul said it best in Ephesians 3:14, (TPT) “So I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the earth.” Then get ready for anything the Holy Spirit is empowering you.
By the way… did you do the dishes last night?
Making your bed is a discipline and so is doing the dishes before you go to bed. Starting my day with a sink full of dirty dishes means I am already behind. It means I am still dealing with the mess from the day before. Dishes are done before I go to bed because leaving them overnight takes twice as long to clean them after they’ve been sitting all night and food bits have stuck and left their stench. The old saying, “never put off tomorrow what you can do today” or the gravestone saying, ‘tomorrow is too late” comes to mind. There have been many times when it was late and I wanted to just leave the mess, but I’ve learned to discipline myself to finish up what was left and start the day with a clean slate. It’s a habit that has carried over into my work.
Why do these things matter?
They matter because mundane things are the rudimentary foundations in life. Everyday things that seemingly don’t matter and may never be seen by others (especially if you live by yourself) create a discipline and work ethic. They are a rhythm. Remember “wax on wax off” from the movie, The Karate Kid? Mundane disciplines shape ones character to bring a sense of order, and cadence. They help us think.
Hebrews 12:11 (TPT) put it this way, “Now all discipline seems to be more pain than pleasure at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it.” In other words, what seems like a pain at the moment reaps rewards in the future. If you want to lead with success be tidy, prepared and ahead not behind because of lazy habits. It means starting at ground zero each day with a clean sink and your bed made. I think you will find that these simple disciplines will pay off and bring positive changes to how you approach and deliver your projects. They will help you accomplish the goals you want to achieve in the future.
Now go make your bed and do the dishes!
