I get up every morning and don my simple house dress or robe. My day begins with buying and boiling milk, sweeping, or hugging small children as they rise. I steal to my room with my Bible, hymn book and prayer list as soon as I can. I close the door and hope for quiet. Then there is breakfast and getting every child presentable for the day. Some days from breakfast on it seems to be little else than washing dishes, picking up toys, sorting clothes, cooking, washing dishes, picking-up, and washing dishes again.
Last Monday at the end of such a day when my life seemed to be temporal and mundane tasks from morning until night, I smiled and thought, “It’s all a disguise.” After all the battle for Christ’s Kingdom had also seriously been fought that day. I had run over to Mohira’s just after breakfast and found her wallowing in Satan’s lies. We prayed and claimed truth. Mahmuda shared as we did housework that she was upset at a sister in Christ. We shot down the devil’s schemes of slander and grudge-holding as we talked it through and she decided to both believe the best and talk with that sister. Another friend came over and as we ate lunch God mended some relational wounds. The day continued like this until the evening when at 9:30 p.m. I found myself still standing at the sink washing dishes and beseeching God for His church to grow in this dry land.
If someone had dropped in at just the right times this day they would think washing dishes and picking up toys was all I ever do. One local friend asked how I keep from getting bored just being at home doing housework. I laughed; little does she know what exciting eternal things go on in this house. It is all just a disguise; I’m a housewife, yes, but I’m a warrior doing battle in the heavenlies! Thank you God for the many opportunities to battle for your Kingdom’s sake among an unreached people-in my house clothes, at the kitchen sink and in between mundane tasks, in all kinds of little ways all day long.
©2004 Thrive
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