I love this author!

About a year ago, I came across an author that God has just given the ability to speak right into my circumstances and to just be a timely message from Him. Her name is Frances J. Roberts, and she has written several small devotional books - which I HIGHLY recommend - first and foremost, "Come Away My Beloved." I've also read "Make Haste, My Beloved," "On the Highroad to Surrender," and "Dialogues with God" - from which this next passage is out of.

You'll notice the unique format - a prayer, and then God's response to that prayer (based on scripture and just Holy Spirit discernment on her part). It may not be for everyone, but God has used this author's words as His Words in my life so much that I just have to share!

This message came today, in light of studying about intentionally taking time to be still and reflect on God, His Love, and just being available to Him in my every day, every hour, every moment life. It's actually pretty amazing just how good I am at completely missing Him and the point of all this sometimes!!! But He's also so faithful to speak to me and lead me back to His green pastures and still waters to restore my soul!

Enjoy!

Unfinished Tasks (The prayer)
"My Father, I am not capable of doing all those things that are demanded of in the course of a day. For every task completed, numerous other needful duties are left undone. This is not a complaint that life is over burdensome, but rather a cry to Thee for understanding and for wisdom to improve the situation: how to reach the end of the day with a feeling of some degree of satisfaction in a job well done. It is not restful to, as it were, sleep on loose ends - to be forever uncomfortably aware of there multitudinous tasks still waiting.

For as time passes, so much of what we have failed to accomplish can no longer be done at all. Surely there must be enough time and enough strength provided to do the vitally essential things. Dear Father, I not only fail to accomplish the task, but lose my sensitivity to Thy guidance, and in doing this, I soon have also lost the joy I would have had if I had pleased Thee."

Give Me the Firstfruits (God's response)
"O my child, do not bring Me the unfinished tasks. There will always be work to do. This also can be a snare of the enemy, for he would deceive you into feeling that all work is worthy in itself - that simply to be occupied is good. This is not true. To sit still, yes, even to have recreation, is sometimes just as important and ofttimes more so. If you were a hundred people, you would discover that you would have a hundred times more unfinished tasks!

Give Me a heart that has learned to become quiet and to rest. Anybody can do work. Few people know how to be quiet. being quiet is not being lazy. Most lazy people are never truly quiet. Those who do the least frequently talk the most and are seldom able to be still and collect their wits.

You must be able to collect yourself - to take time to absorb the Spirit of God. For to be freshly filled with the Spirit will bring the guidance and direction and wisdom and the will to do His bidding. The purpose of spending time with God is more than simply enjoying His Presence: It is to fit you for the labors next at hand. The Mount of Transfiguration was not a separate play from the deliverance of the demoniac. It was the first scene. Christ's words to the impotent disciples leave us in no doubt as to this (Mark 9:1-29: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%209:1-29&version=31)

So come to Me, as I have so often invited thee to do - heart open, hands uplifted and empty. Don't bring Me your work. Bring Me yourself. It is you that I love, not your enterprises. The more you draw near to Me in singleness of heart, the clearer will be your guidance on life's pathway and the less danger there will be of substituting human activities for Spirit-directed ministries.

Keep your heart tender, lest your work become destructive."