For many years I collected tiny dresses, soft cuddly
sleepers and many clothes that belonged to my five daughters. I had tiny pink
flowers on an infant sleeper, faded denim snatched from well-worn Osh Gosh outfit,
and pink memories galore. In my mind’s eye, I see them in those precious
clothes. Every time I cleaned out the girl’s closets I would stash the soft
pastel fabrics with the least spit-up stains in the box labeled quilt fabric.
As the box became fuller, I began to call it my “Quilty Conscience” box because
of how bad I felt as I accumulated bits and pieces of my someday-to-be memory
quilt.
I revisited an account in Deuteronomy 1 that talks of a time
when God looked at the Israelites and reminded them that they too had been
nursing a box of good intentions. They were camped at Horeb or it might be said
in today’s language, they were chillin’ and grillin’ as all the while their
“good intention” box filled. The unsaved world went hungry
The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long
enough at this mountain. Deuteronomy 1:6 NIV
What guilt do you carry? It’s not only quilt pieces I pack
in a box and save to do someday, but I have also packed good intentions on ways
I can serve my Lord. I hate the drawer I open by accident that holds greeting
cards that I haven’t sent. I even addressed and stamped the sympathy card I
intended to mail to a new widow in our church. How about the phone call you
need to make to the lonely lady down the block. What did you kick as you went
out the door? Could it be the cans of okra and spinach you gathered for the
food bank? Above all, step away from that mountain, you have been there long
enough. Open your eyes and obey God.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 NLT
Isn’t there a
coworker that needs to hear about Jesus. Could it be this would be a perfect
time to talk to them about Savior? Could there be unbelievers, even in the
shadow of your church steeple, who need hope in this hopeless world?
Just a note. My precious box was burned up in a fire so I no
longer had to look at them, but I think of my bits and pieces of good
intentions lost now forever. I don’t like thinking about that but praying the Holy
Spirit would give me good intentions without that pesky Quilty Conscience.
I need to go into my world and make a difference, NOW! I
have stayed to long at the mountain of good-intentions and a Quilty Conscience.
