Ah, Monday!  If a day of the week could possess feelings, Monday would surely have a complex as it seems to be the most dreaded. Songs have even been written to brand it…”Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down.” (Some of you Carpenters fans from the ’70’s may remember that one!) Yes, we are once again back to responsibility and the daily grind, surviving until the upcoming weekend or at least Thursday when we can see the daylight of Friday. However, today we have a choice. Will we simply muddle through, groaning and dragging our feet, or will we on this day be equally as sensitive to the movement and call of God in our lives as any other?
    Yes, your work on Monday as any other day goes far beyond the nine to five job that gives you a paycheck. It should probably begin with thanksgiving for that much taken for granted first breath we take on Monday morning as we pry ourselves from our comfy beds, climb into a shower of clean water, and open our refrigerators to choose what we will eat for breakfast. Thank you, Lord!  Let those blessings sink in and bring a smile to your face that when shared with a a passerby may be all that person needs– to know that someone acknowledged their presence. They are not invisible! “Each of you should not look to your own interests, but also the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)

     As you make step outside, drink in the beauty around you, the masterpiece God is painting as a backdrop for your day. Even in the clouds and rain, there is the beauty of witnessing God’s power in a bolt of lightning or an earth replenishing drop of rain. Yes, it is Monday, but God is just as awesome and as present as He was when you sat inside of the walls your of church on Sunday. He is not taking the day off or waiting for another weekend.  Seek His face, and  ready yourself to be sensitive to His plans for you today. “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are blessed.” (Proverbs 11:25) Sounds like a win-win situation to me!!
     When the children or your boss are driving you crazy, speak the name of Jesus. Feel His presence and supply of  patience, strength, and grace needed for the moment. When you feel as though you have reached your absolute limit for the situation at hand, you are never alone. Realize that these feelings are not unique to you, and someone in your path today probably has problems far surpassing yours. Be on the watch for opportunities to encourage and listen. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
     As yet another Monday fades with the setting of the sun, may you reflect on the bright spots, the moments when God worked through you to help another, the blessings at hand in your own life. See, Mondays, though they get a bad wrap, hold just as much promise as every other day of the week.  My advice is to seek, not to survive. To walk through the day with eyes wide open and mind focused on Jesus. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3) Happy Monday!  May this day be filled with God’s peace and blessings.  To God Be the Glory!