The kids and I were sitting around the table during one of our Bible teaching times, and we each had a paper with a circle drawn on it in front of us. We were to turn it into a pie chart as to how much time we spent on different activities every day. Friends, family, food, sleep, and whatever else we felt should be added. I thought it would be easy, but no matter how mine was adjusted, it just never seemed right. Eventually I finished though unsatisfied with the results.
It wasn’t until several weeks later I figured out what was wrong. I had made a mistake in the very formation of my chart. See, it didn’t work no matter how big a piece of the pie I gave the Lord, because it meant He was ‘left out’ of the other pieces, and that never made sense to me. The reality of how I try to live my life is more like the pie chart being completed with the actual time I spend solely with Him each day allotted in, but then a transparency being laid on top with the word “God” written on top; because in actuality, I try to be with Him during all the things I do in life. Does that mean He comes to the bathroom with me? Yep. Some of our funniest times have been in that room. Is He there when I’m chauffeuring the kids around? Yep. He makes the drive more interesting. What about when I’m vacuuming or doing dishes? He definitely brings life to those tedious chores. Whether I am helping a friend, baking an apple pie, dealing with a school issue, volunteering, shopping, or anything else in my life, my Lord, my Love is with me in it all.
He’s like the transparency in my life over everything I do, everywhere I go, over all the ways I fill the time in my journey. Now that makes more sense to me. Maybe it seems a little crazy to some people, but I’d rather be seen as crazy with the Lord filling my life than be seen sane with Him just fitting into a small portion of my life.
So the next time I have to make a pie chart, I know exactly what I’ll do. I won’t make the mistake of trying to fit God into a piece of my life. Instead I’ll go get a portion of clear plastic/ transparency/ saran wrap and place it over top of my chart with the name of God written in permanent marker so it can’t be changed. No more mistake.
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go,… (Gen. 28:15a NIV)
…for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Jos. 1:9b NKJV)
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. (Ps 139:7-12 NLT)