"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
-1 Corinthians 15:58
As a homeschooling parent, do you ever wake up in the morning and want to run away and hide from your responsibilities? Last night's dishes, last week's laundry, and yesterday's school work all clamor for your attention. Your baby's cry reminds you of yet another need, and your young toddlers seek your affection and time for play. On top of that, your church is having difficulty finding help with Sunday school and the nursery, and you know you should offer your assistance. Exhausted before the day has even begun, you throw the covers back over your head and think, "Why would God give me all this responsibility? Doesn't He know I can't take care of everything? Where can I go to get away from all this work?"
When the pressure of obeying God's call seems too much or our rebellious nature takes over, it's tempting to look for the easy way out. Just ask Jonah. God had given him the task of prophesying to the wicked city of Nineveh, but Jonah disobeyed God. Hopping aboard a boat to Joppa, Jonah worked just as hard at running away and hiding from God's call as he would have worked if he had obeyed. Fortunately, God gave this reluctant prophet another chance to accept the job he had given. After being thrown overboard and spending three days in the belly of a big fish, Jonah decided that obeying God wasn't that bad, even if it was for a wicked city like Nineveh.
-Taken from Homeschool Mom's Bible; devotions by Janet Tatman; p. 812
