How to Fill the Blank Slate?

“’Teacher, which is the great commandment?’ [Jesus] said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 26:36-39

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

Each day dawns to a new slate ready for words, a blank canvas free to paint, hours to be filled as they fly. The dailies in scripture involved retrieving manna, making sacrifice, moving at God’s behest. Jesus taught the most important commands, to love God and our neighbors. (Exodus 16:4; 29:38-43; Leviticus 6:13)

Fashioned in God’s image, created with will, endowed with agency, we determine how to spend our days. With what and for whom will it be? Through any interruptions and unexpecteds, the commands from Scripture guide us. (Psalm 119:105)

To begin, assess our first waking thought. Consider the Sovereign who gives breath and rest and awakens our body- might our mind go to Him in thankfulness and wonder? Can we there focus and praise?

“Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.” ~ Seth Sykes (1940)

Looking at the time before us, scheduled necessities or not, we can next offer all of ourselves for His service and honor. How will we determine priorities? Who is the ultimate arbiter and recipient of our moments, efforts, resources, and industry?

“God be in my head, and in my understanding.
God be in my eyes, and in my looking.
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking
God be in my heart, and in my thinking
God be in my hands, and in my doing
God be at my end, and at my departing.” ~Old Sarum Primer 1558

And consider how to keep the command to love. How might we fill the vast ocean of a wide day with God’s remarkable, life-giving love? On whose heart can we write His gospel? Whom can we enfold with His care, compassion, promises, truth?

“Could we with ink the ocean fill
and were the skies of parchment made,
were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill
and ev’ry man a scribe by trade,
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
tho’ stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure:
the saints’ and angels’ song!” ~Frederick Lehman (1917)

To seize the Lord’s gift of a day as an opportunity to give thanks and upbuild honors Him. (Psalm 118:24)

Father, help me steward my entrusted hours for Your purposes and glory.