Every Ordinary Day Is Preparation

This was the first fasting prayer on the church's new second-Saturday schedule. It was not a sermon. It was a prayer service in seven movements, and each movement had the same shape: a short explanation, a passage of Scripture, a plain word on how this helps us or hurts us, and then real time in prayer. The teaching was kept only long enough to give people something to pray about.

If you are reading this at home, you can use it the same way. Read one movement, then stop and pray before you go on to the next. The direction of the whole morning was simple: to move from my needs to His purpose. The Sundays that follow take up how God provides, protects, and holds our future.

1. Stop (நில்)

Two sisters welcome Jesus into their house. Martha cooks, serves and arranges, and all of it is good work, work done for Him. Mary sits at His feet and listens. Martha grows upset and says, Lord, do You not care? Tell her to help me. Jesus does not scold her for working. He says her name twice, gently.

"And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'" - Luke 10:41-42 (NKJV)

"இயேசு அவளுக்குப் பிரதியுத்தரமாக: மார்த்தாளே, மார்த்தாளே, நீ அநேகக் காரியங்களைக்குறித்துக் கவலைப்பட்டுக் கலங்குகிறாய். தேவையானது ஒன்றே, மரியாள் தன்னை விட்டெடுபடாத நல்ல பங்கைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டாள் என்றார்." - லூக்கா 10:41-42 (TAOVBSI)

Busyness hurts us when it starts to feel like faithfulness. Martha was not sinning. She was serving Jesus while anxious about Jesus, and many of us are the same: we are tired less from our work than from our worry. It helps to notice what Jesus actually named. He did not name her cooking. He named her worrying about many things, and that was not one large trouble but a hundred small ones. Mary chose ஒன்றே, the one thing, and He said it would not be taken from her. Everything else in our lives can be taken away. That one thing cannot.

Pray. Sit with both hands resting on your knees, palms up and empty, and say nothing for a few minutes. Let the silence stay silent; do not rush to fill it. Then, softly, name to the Lord each thing that is crowding your mind. Do not ask for anything yet. Only name them. If you cannot say them aloud, naming them silently counts just as much.

2. Every Ordinary Day Is Preparation (ஒவ்வொரு சாதாரண நாளும் ஆயத்தமே)

This is the heart of the whole morning, and it deserves the most time.

How many times in a whole life does God do the one great thing He called you for? Perhaps once. Perhaps a few times. It is not every day. So what are all the other days for? They are the preparation.

David killed Goliath on one afternoon. But listen to what he told Saul before he went out:

"But David said to Saul, 'Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.' Moreover David said, 'The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul said to David, 'Go, and the Lord be with you!'" - 1 Samuel 17:34-37 (NKJV)

"தாவீது சவுலைப்பார்த்து: உம்முடைய அடியான் என் தகப்பனுடைய ஆடுகளை மேய்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறபோது, ஒரு விசை ஒரு சிங்கமும் ஒரு விசை ஒரு கரடியும் வந்து, மந்தையிலிருக்கிற ஒரு ஆட்டைப் பிடித்துக்கொண்டது. நான் அதைத் தொடர்ந்துபோய், அதை அடித்து, அதை அதின் வாய்க்குத் தப்புவித்தேன்; அது என்மேல் பாய்ந்தபோது, நான் அதின் தாடியைப் பிடித்து, அதை அடித்துக் கொன்று போட்டேன். அந்தச் சிங்கத்தையும் அந்தக் கரடியையும் உம்முடைய அடியானாகிய நான் கொன்றேன்; விருத்தசேதனமில்லாத இந்தப் பெலிஸ்தனும் அவைகளில் ஒன்றைப் போல இருப்பான்; அவன் ஜீவனுள்ள தேவனுடைய சேனைகளை நிந்தித்தானே என்றான். பின்னும் தாவீது: என்னைச் சிங்கத்தின் கைக்கும் கரடியின் கைக்கும் தப்புவித்த கர்த்தர் இந்தப் பெலிஸ்தனுடைய கைக்கும் தப்புவிப்பார் என்றான்; அப்பொழுது சவுல் தாவீதைப் பார்த்து: போ, கர்த்தர் உன்னுடனேகூட இருப்பாராக என்றான்." - 1 சாமுவேல் 17:34-37 (TAOVBSI)

Nobody watched the lion. Nobody watched the bear. There was no crowd in the wilderness, no king and no army, only a boy with some sheep having a bad day at work. Those unwatched days were his training ground. When the giant came, David was not guessing; he had done this before, in private. The lion was not an interruption to his calling. The lion was the rehearsal for it.

The same pattern runs through Scripture. Joseph sat in a prison nobody visited. Moses spent forty years behind sheep in a desert. Those years looked wasted, and they were the making of the man.

"For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." - Zechariah 4:10 (NKJV)

"அற்பமான ஆரம்பத்தின் நாளை யார் அசட்டைபண்ணலாம்? பூமியெங்கும் சுற்றிப்பார்க்கிறவைகளாகிய கர்த்தருடைய ஏழு கண்களும் செருபாபேலின் கையில் இருக்கிற தூக்குநூலைச் சந்தோஷமாய்ப் பார்க்கிறது என்றார்." - சகரியா 4:10 (TAOVBSI)

"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much." - Luke 16:10 (NKJV)

"கொஞ்சத்திலே உண்மையுள்ளவன் அநேகத்திலும் உண்மையுள்ளவனாயிருக்கிறான், கொஞ்சத்திலே அநீதியுள்ளவன் அநேகத்திலும் அநீதியுள்ளவனாயிருக்கிறான்." - லூக்கா 16:10 (TAOVBSI)

It hurts us when we treat the ordinary day as an obstacle standing in front of the real thing. We rush it, resent it, or waste it, and then when the real thing comes we are not ready, because readiness was built in the very days we despised. It also hurts us when meeting our needs, or our children's needs, becomes the whole point of life. Those needs are real and God does not ignore them, but they were never the purpose we were called for.

It helps us to see that today counts. This week's small duty, done faithfully and honestly, is your lion and your bear, and He is watching it even when nobody else is. It helps us to stop asking "When will my big moment come?" and start asking "What is He building in me today?"

Pray. Begin with thanksgiving. Thank God aloud for one ordinary thing in your life today: a job, a kitchen, a class, a field, a shop. Then turn to repentance: Forgive me for despising the small days. Forgive me for thinking my life begins later. Then ask: Lord, make me faithful in what is least. Prepare me in private for what You will ask of me in public.

3. Busy Is Not the Sin; Too Busy for Him Is (வேலை பாவமல்ல; அவருக்கு நேரமில்லாததே பாவம்)

This needs to be said very clearly, or it will be heard wrongly: we are not saying stop working. Work is good. Providing for your family is good, and Scripture commands it. The danger is a different one. Never become so busy that there is no time left for the One you are working for.

If we say the Word of God is life and we do not read it, our own mouth convicts us:

"He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." - 1 John 2:4 (NKJV)

"அவரை அறிந்திருக்கிறேனென்று சொல்லியும், அவருடைய கற்பனைகளைக் கைக்கொள்ளாதவன் பொய்யனாயிருக்கிறான், அவனுக்குள் சத்தியமில்லை." - 1 யோவான் 2:4 (TAOVBSI)

It hurts us to own a Bible we recommend more often than we open. A closed Bible in the house feeds no one. It hurts us when prayer becomes only emergency prayer, when we call on Him while the house is burning and never when it is quiet.

It helps us that He asks for time, not performance. He is not waiting for perfect words. And it helps to be honest about where our time actually goes. Most of us do have an hour in the day. It is already spent, only somewhere else.

Pray. Tell God truthfully how much time you gave Him this past week. Do not make a promise yet; just tell Him the truth. Then make one fixed commitment. Do not say "more time." Name to Him a time of day and a place for the coming week, and say it aloud to Him.

4. Do Not Run Ahead of God (தேவனுக்கு முந்தி ஓடாதே)

Here are two men. One could not wait, and one would not run.

God promised Abraham a son. The years passed. Sarai grew tired of waiting and offered a shortcut, and Abraham agreed.

"So Sarai said to Abram, 'See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.' And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai." - Genesis 16:2 (NKJV)

"சாராய் ஆபிராமை நோக்கி: நான் பிள்ளைபெறாதபடிக்குக் கர்த்தர் என் கர்ப்பத்தை அடைத்திருக்கிறார்; என் அடிமைப்பெண்ணோடே சேரும், ஒருவேளை அவளால் என் வீடு கட்டப்படும் என்றாள். சாராயின் வார்த்தைக்கு ஆபிராம் செவிகொடுத்தான்." - ஆதியாகமம் 16:2 (TAOVBSI)

He got a son. He did not get the son. The promise was not cancelled, and Isaac still came. But the shortcut produced a division that has outlasted thousands of years.

Now David. Saul is hunting him to kill him. Twice David has Saul helpless in front of him, and twice his men tell him that this is God handing him the kingdom.

"But David said to Abishai, 'Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?' David said furthermore, 'As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.'" - 1 Samuel 26:9-11 (NKJV)

"தாவீது அபிசாயைப் பார்த்து: அவரைக் கொல்லாதே; கர்த்தர் அபிஷேகம்பண்ணுவித்தவர்மேல் தன் கையைப் போட்டு, குற்றமில்லாமற்போகிறவன் யார்? என்று சொன்னான். பின்னும் தாவீது: கர்த்தர் அவரை அடித்து, அல்லது அவருடைய காலம் வந்து, அவர் மரித்து, அல்லது அவர் யுத்தத்திற்குப் போய் மாண்டாலொழிய, நான் என் கையைக் கர்த்தர் அபிஷேகம்பண்ணுவித்தவர்மேல் போடாதபடிக்கு, கர்த்தர் என்னைக் காக்கக்கடவர் என்று கர்த்தருடைய ஜீவனைக்கொண்டு சொல்லுகிறேன்; இப்போதும் அவர் தலைமாட்டில் இருக்கிற ஈட்டியையும், தண்ணீர்ச்செம்பையும் எடுத்துக்கொண்டு போவோம் என்றான்." - 1 சாமுவேல் 26:9-11 (TAOVBSI)

David had the promise, the anointing, the opportunity and a reason. He still would not take the kingdom by his own hand. He left the timing with God.

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass." - Psalm 37:7 (NKJV)

"கர்த்தரை நோக்கி அமர்ந்து, அவருக்குக் காத்திரு; காரியசித்தியுள்ளவன்மேலும் தீவினைகளைச் செய்கிற மனுஷன் மேலும் எரிச்சலாகாதே." - சங்கீதம் 37:7 (TAOVBSI)

Impatience rarely stops the promise. What it does is add something we then have to live beside for years. Anxiety also makes us decide badly: in a hurry we spend more, agree faster, and commit to things that patience would have refused. Waiting, on the other hand, is not idleness. Waiting is where strength is exchanged, not lost. You are not being asked to work less. You are being asked to stop running ahead of Him.

Pray. Name to God one decision you are being pressed to hurry. Only one, and be specific. Leave its timing with Him. Then repent of the choices you have already made in haste, and of what they have cost you and others.

5. He Already Knows What You Need (உனக்கு வேண்டியது அவருக்குத் தெரியும்)

There was famine in the land, and that is exactly when Isaac put seed into the ground. Everyone else was counting what was left.

"Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him." - Genesis 26:12 (NKJV)

"ஈசாக்கு அந்தத் தேசத்தில் விதைவிதைத்தான்; கர்த்தர் அவனை ஆசீர்வதித்ததினால் அந்த வருஷத்தில் நூறுமடங்கு பலன் அடைந்தான்;" - ஆதியாகமம் 26:12 (TAOVBSI)

A hundredfold, in the same year. The famine was not mild; the reason was that the Lord blessed him. Sowing in a famine year looks foolish to everyone watching.

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." - Matthew 6:31-33 (NKJV)

"ஆகையால், என்னத்தை உண்போம், என்னத்தைக் குடிப்போம், என்னத்தை உடுப்போம் என்று, கவலைப்படாதிருங்கள். இவைகளையெல்லாம் அஞ்ஞானிகள் நாடித்தேடுகிறார்கள்; இவைகளெல்லாம் உங்களுக்கு வேண்டியவைகள் என்று உங்கள் பரமபிதா அறிந்திருக்கிறார். முதலாவது தேவனுடைய ராஜ்யத்தையும் அவருடைய நீதியையும் தேடுங்கள், அப்பொழுது இவைகளெல்லாம் உங்களுக்குக்கூடக் கொடுக்கப்படும்." - மத்தேயு 6:31-33 (TAOVBSI)

It helps us that Jesus says your Father knows what you need. He is not unaware of the rent, the school fees or the medicines. And He does not say stop working. He says stop worrying, and change what you seek first. It hurts us to seek the provision first and hope that purpose follows. That order never works. He has given us the order: the kingdom first, and these things added.

This needs to be said honestly. The passage does not promise that no believer will ever be in need. It promises a Father who knows, and who adds what is needed to those who seek Him first.

Pray. Bring God one specific need. Only one, and name it plainly rather than in general terms. Then release it: You know this need better than I do. I put it in Your hand, and I go back to seeking Your kingdom first.

6. The Years You Think You Lost (இழந்ததாக நினைக்கும் வருஷங்கள்)

Many people do not know this story, so take it slowly (2 Kings 8:1-6). Elisha warns a woman that seven years of famine are coming. She leaves everything, her house and her land, and lives as a foreigner for seven years. She comes back with nothing and goes to plead with the king for her house.

Now watch the timing. At that very moment the king happens to be asking Gehazi, Elisha's servant, to tell him about the great things Elisha has done. Gehazi is in the middle of the story of the boy Elisha raised from the dead when the door opens, and in walks that very woman with that very son.

"And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, 'Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.'" - 2 Kings 8:6 (NKJV)

"ராஜா அந்த ஸ்திரீயைக் கேட்டதற்கு, அவள்: அதை அவனுக்கு விவரித்துச் சொன்னாள்; அப்பொழுது ராஜா அவளுக்கு ஒரு பிரதானியை நியமித்து, அவளுக்கு உண்டானது எல்லாவற்றையும், அவள் தேசத்தை விட்டுப்போன நாள்முதல் இதுவரைக்கும் உண்டான அந்த வயலின் வருமானம் அனைத்தையும் அவளுக்குக் கிடைக்கும்படி செய் என்றான்." - 2 இராஜாக்கள் 8:6 (TAOVBSI)

She received more than her land. She received the proceeds of the field from the day she left until now, seven years of harvests she was not there to plant. She could not have arranged that timing with all the planning in the world. She walked in at the one minute in seven years when the king's ear was full of her story.

It hurts us to carry lost years as though they were proof that God forgot us, and many of us are carrying a lost decade. It helps us to know that He keeps a ledger of what the famine took, and He is able to hand it back.

This must be said carefully, without overpromising. She received it back. Job received it back. But many faithful people did not see restoration in this life. We trust the One who keeps the account; we do not hold Him to a date for repayment.

Pray. Name to Him one thing you believe you have already lost. Then say: அதையும் உம்முடைய கையில் வைக்கிறேன், I place even that in Your hand. Before you ask for anything more, stop and thank Him aloud for one thing He has already done for you this year.

7. Realignment and Sending (மறுசீரமைப்பும் அனுப்புதலும்)

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

"அன்றியும், அவருடைய தீர்மானத்தின்படி அழைக்கப்பட்டவர்களாய்த் தேவனிடத்தில் அன்புகூருகிறவர்களுக்குச் சகலமும் நன்மைக்கு ஏதுவாக நடக்கிறதென்று அறிந்திருக்கிறோம்." - ரோமர் 8:28 (TAOVBSI)

This verse does not say that everything that happens is good. Sickness is not good, and loss is not good. It says that God works all things together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. The promise has an address on it. That is why our priorities had to change first, before we came to this verse.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." - Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

"இயேசுகிறிஸ்து நேற்றும் இன்றும் என்றும் மாறாதவராயிருக்கிறார்." - எபிரெயர் 13:8 (TAOVBSI)

Generations change, and so do technology, work and prices. The One we serve does not change, and His Word does not change. No new machine and no lost year cancels an assignment given by God.

Pray. This last prayer is not for money or for comfort. Pray for someone else: a member of your family, a friend, someone from church. Lord, show my brother, my sister, what You called them for, and make their ordinary days prepare them for it.

Then, with your hands open, close with this declaration:

• நான் ஓடுவதை நிறுத்துகிறேன் - I stop running.
• என் பிதா அறிந்திருக்கிறார் - My Father knows what I need.
• இன்றைய நாள் வீணல்ல - Today is not wasted.
• என் அழைப்பை ஒன்றும் இரத்து செய்யாது - Nothing cancels my calling.

And go out with this word, read slowly, once:

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

"கர்த்தருக்குக் காத்திருக்கிறவர்களோ புதுப்பெலன் அடைந்து, கழுகுகளைப்போலச் செட்டைகளை அடித்து எழும்புவார்கள்; அவர்கள் ஓடினாலும் இளைப்படையார்கள், நடந்தாலும் சோர்ந்துபோகார்கள்." - ஏசாயா 40:31 (TAOVBSI)

Prayer Points (ஜெபக் குறிப்புகள்)

1. Deliverance from anxious busyness, and the grace to sit at His feet before we serve.
2. Grace to see the ordinary day as preparation, not as an obstacle.
3. An honest, fixed daily time with God: a time of day and a place, named aloud to Him.
4. One decision you are being pressed to rush, left with Him.
5. One specific need, released to the Father who already knows.
6. The lost years handed over to Him, neither defended nor mourned.
7. For one another: clarity of calling, and ordinary days that prepare us for it.