Today Sarah writes about getting away with God for a while.
It can be so tempting to push that which is flexible to the side in favor of
that which seems inflexible and demanding. With the store owners, they risked
missing a customer who might not come back.
They put at risk whatever funds they may have earned for the day. But on
the other side, who knows what they gained.
Our time with God can seem so flexible because He hasn’t
posted an open or closed sign. He hasn’t given us hours in which He is in or
out. Rather, He is always present 24/7—365. As such, we might be tempted to
think we must deal with the pressing and then spend time with God when it is
not so pressing. But the truth couldn’t be more opposite most of the time. Of
course, there will be those times when our days begin with an alarm of some
form that we did not intend or expect whether it is an emergency phone call or
a sick child. But this is not the case most of the time.
God does not get lost in the busyness of our days as we
might. He sees the beginning and the end at the same time in full clarity, and
He is able to shape the path from one to the other. And in Him we can find the strength,
peace, and wisdom to progress through each part.
Psalm 121 A Song
of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help
come? My
help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps
you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber
nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The
sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord
will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord
will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.
Reflecting on
Psalm 121 is an incredible reminder to me of who our God is to us and what He
will do. While I know that I have frequently fallen into the trap of busyness,
I also recognize how foolish it is to imagine that seeking to accomplish any
task in my own strength is a foolish thing to do when my God has promised to
strengthen me in my Lord and to guard my steps. As such, I have committed
myself to hanging out this sign in my heart—“Gone Praying”, knowing that the
benefits of this time make the rest of my times much more profitable and
reminding me that my God, though He is always present, does desire to spend
special set-apart time with me. Maybe you can think of a better wording for the
sign. If you do, let me know. What I do know is that you can’t think of a
better One to spend it with.
Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (7/17)
Come away for Me for a while. The world, with is nonstop
demands, can be put on hold. Most people put Me on hold, rationalizing that
someday they will find time to focus on Me. But the longer people push Me into
the background of their lives, the harder it is for them to find Me.
You live among people who glorify busyness; they have made
time a tyrant that controls their lives. Even those who know Me as Savior tend
to march to the tempo of the world. They have bought into the illusion that
more is always better: more meetings, more programs, more activity.
I have called you to follow Me on a solitary path, making
time alone with Me your highest priority and deepest Joy. It is a pathway
largely unappreciated and often despised. However, you have chosen the better
thing, which will never be taken away from you. Moreover, as you walk close to
Me, I can bless others through you.
“The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines
spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with
me.” Song of Songs 2:13
“But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is
better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42
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