Our theme for Eastertide is finding joy as we faithfully do the small things, so today we will look at making chore time a sacred time.
We are often guilty of dismissing the mundane as a secular activity. Today, I am going to challenge us to look at how the mundane chores we do can be a tool we use to glorify God and contemplate His character.
Tackling our chores is a type of discipline. It takes intentionality to do a task from start to finish, as well as faithfulness to do it week in and week out. It can be an act of service if we live in a household with other people. As the cliché goes, nothing says "I love you" like a dresser full of clean clothes. Yet sometimes, we subtly look down upon those who are homemakers and caregivers. They don't have a paycheck or cool job description, but their work is just as vital as paying jobs.
Chores can be a time of worship. If we turn off the TV, the news, or other distractions, we can listen to hymns and choruses. We can praise God while folding the clothes. We can exalt Him, while washing dishes.
Chores can be a time of prayer. We can either pray for people and places while we work, or we can let the chores we do shape our prayers. For example, we can ask the Holy Spirit...
...to sweep out sin from our lives as we sweep the floor.
...to scrub out the corners of our heart & mind to cleanse them as we wash dishes.
...to order our priorities in line with Kingdom priorities as we put a messy room to rights.
...to weed out bitterness, jealously, anger, and other vices from our lives as we weed the flowerbeds and garden plots.
...to prune us so we may be more fruitful as we mow the lawn and prune our bushes.
...to add godly virtues in our lives as we add spices to our meal.
...to nourish our spirits as well as our bodies as we cook dinner.
Chores can be a time of praise. We can either praise God for people and events that are happening in our lives, or we can use the chores as the prompt to thank God. For example, we can thank God for...
...clothes to wear as we fold clothes.
...a warm/cool house to live in as we sweep and tidy our way around the house.
...food to eat as we prepare breakfast.
...clean water to drink as we wash dishes.
...the strength to do our chores as we work.
...our family as we put away the things they left around the house.
...things we no longer need as we declutter stuff that can go on to bless someone else.
Chores can be a time of growth. Use this time to listen to a sermon or an audiobook on Christian growth. As we use our chores to prompt our praises to God, let the Holy Spirit nudge us to donate things and help people who do not have all the resources that we have access to.
Chores can be a time of contemplation as we work in silence. Having a time of quietness can allow us to hear the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Chores don't have to be a drudgery or a mundane part of our week. We can take the same basic activities millions of people do around the world every day and turn them into a sacred activity.
What can you do this week to make the chores you do into a sacred activity?
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