One Thing At a Time

Have you ever had a "to do" list that you wanted everything checked off....all at once?!

And some one says "one thing at a time."

Is there frustration? Impatience?

"No, I need it all done...yesterday!"

Well, I have an example...God.

The God that can create anything, Who created the universe and all that is in it....He did "one thing at a time".

📖 Genesis 1

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

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6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.”  So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

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9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.  God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.  The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

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14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,  and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.  God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

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20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day  

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24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image,   in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”  Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.  God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.  

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And when all His boxes were checked what did He do....

He rested...

not because He needed to, and not because there weren't other lists to come,  but because He wanted to take a moment and appreciate what He had accomplished, to spend time with those He cared about

        📖 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9

To me, when I read this it seems as if this was a common practice for God, Adam and Eve...spending time together in the cool of the evening....until sin came in and changed all that...but that is another blog!

When we get to the end of one of our lists (yes there will be more) make sure there is a point when 

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you rest. We need physical rest, but also we need to take time to be grateful and appreciate what we have accomplished....take time "to smell the roses" 

📖 There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1

📖 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:2-3a

I know several of God's "boxes" seem to have a lot going on...but each day had it specific purpose....He could have spoke and "BAM"....everything done.  But He focused on "one thing at a time"...surveyed His works and appreciated it for what it was and then moved on to the next. 

Sometimes we may try to fit everything we want to do behind one giant box....we want it all done at once....and then we are overwhelmed by the task before us.  We can't even move ahead.

Or once we finish a task we keep "adjusting " or "tweaking" or "touching up"  before we feel we can check the box, but in trying to make it perfect we don't move on to the next task.

Do each task...to the best of your ability...whatever it may be before you...then step back and say...it is good. 

📖 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,  Colossians 3:23

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Move on to the next.

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Make sure you have an end to each list ....take time to rest...appreciate what you have accomplished..share your joy with others....

and then...move on to the next list!

📖 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!.... Matthew 25:21a