Tired of leftovers!
Thanksgiving was 4 days ago and if you are like me, you are still eating on the leftovers! Let’s see…first, there were turkey sandwiches, then turkey soup, then turkey casserole and now today, warmed up turkey, dressing and potatoes! Turkey, turkey, turkey and more turkey!
I have seriously had my fill of leftovers.
Somehow by the 4th day it just isn’t as exciting as it was on Thursday! I’m kind of tired of having nothing but leftovers.
I not only get that way around the holidays, but my spirit man also tires of leftovers. A few years ago, my husband was overworked, underpaid, stressed and frustrated at his job. While he was at his job during the day he gave 120 percent, doing everything he could to resolve issues, be kind to others, even do his work and the work of others but by the time he came home from work it seemed like all the children and I would get was his leftovers. You know how we get when we are tired, cranky and just downright stressed. While he gave his best at work, he brought home the overloaded stress to us which didn’t always come across as his best.
Leftovers are not always as appealing as they once were. The salivating over the roasted turkey has diminished some from Thursday to Monday. Spiritually speaking, when we give less than our best, when we give our leftovers to others, we also lose our sweet aroma.
God wants our best to not just be yesterdays menu. He wants our best to be renewed each and every day. Sometimes we worry about tomorrow, so we try to live on what we have today or what we had yesterday. The children of Israel worried that hunger would overtake them while in the wilderness. After much grumbling and complaining, God finally told Moses to tell the people that Manna would rain down from heaven every day to feed them.
EXODUS 16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. “
But there was a catch…
The people could only take enough Manna for the day, no extra. On the Sabbath day, God would double the food gathered the day before so that the Sabbath day could be observed and they still have plenty. In His attempt to teach them faithfulness, the children of Israel were not all quick learners. Some worried there would not be enough for tomorrow so they took more than their share. They took leftovers. But the manna literally grew old and rotted if more than the allotted share was taken.
God did not need them to live on leftovers. His bread was new each and every morning. He wanted them to trust Him for their daily bread. Likewise, He does not want us to live on leftover experiences either. Yesterday’s blessing was for yesterday, TODAY God has something new for us!
LAMENTATIONS 3:22″Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.”
Too many times I think we come to the Lord’s table still eating the crumbs from yesterday. Our testimony seems to be about what God DID instead of what He is DOING! One of the reasons that I think that we give our leftovers to others is because we are still living on the leftovers of our yesterdays. It is time to partake of the fresh Bread of Life that He offers us TODAY!
Aren’t you tired of living on leftovers?
Amen, very well said my friend.
Great reminder that we should not live on (spiritual) leftovers. It is true, God wants us to have a fresh start each day.
Amen, Laurie! Great analogy! Praise God that His mercies are new every morning. If we ask, He will give us each day our daily bread. He doesn’t want us to dwell on the past or to worry about the future, but to live in His present blessings! I wrote a blog post recently, “Renewed” on a similar topic:
http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/2011/11/renewed.html
Your blog is a blessing and I am now following it, and I invite you to follow mine, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/
Laurie Collett