I have been going back and forth with myself, whether I should write this or not, but I suppose I will. Not for any congrats and praise, or scorn and judgement, but just to offer a challenge and some encouragement. I want the Lord to be glorified and worshipped, and I want you to be enjoying Him, and revelling in His rich wisdom.
I hesitate to write this post, not because I'm ashamed, but because I don't want any praise or credit, and I don't want to boast. So very humbly...
I want to challenge you to something that I've given more than a stab at: Devote at least one hour to your personal time with the Lord, every day.
For some of you, that may be pencil dust; perhaps you already spend 2 or 3 hours a day in the Word of God. Good for you, God be praised. I can only imagine how much knowledge of God that you have been given. What a blessing to be so committed.
But perhaps most of you (that's a stab in the dark, only God really knows everyone's habits) are like me, doing what I have done in the past. You are stuggling to spend even 15 minutes with the Lord, squeezing your Bible reading in whenever you have a "breather". You're checking it off of the to-do list, though you wish you weren't. You are hungry to know more of God, but when it comes time to read the Scripture, you'd rather clean your room.
If you are a human, you are guaranteed to struggle and we have all done those things. You are not alone, you aren't the only heathenous, lazy Christian on the planet. But that's no excuse. God desires obedience more than sacrifice, meaning He would rather that we do the right thing in the first place, instead of repenting later and making up for our mistakes.
John Newton wrote in one of his Olney Hymns:
But ah! my inmost spirit mourns,
And well my eyes with tears may swim,
To think of my perverse returns;
I've been a faithless friend to Him.
Often my gracious Friend I grieve,
Neglect, distrust, and disobey,
And often Satan's lies I believe,
Sooner than all my Friend can say
He bids me always freely come,
And promises whatever I ask:
But I am straitened, cold and dumb,
And count my privelege a task.
What you may need is a change of perspective. When you see your devotional time as something to check off the list, and a chore - no matter how indespensible - it becomes a burden. You approach God's presence with the wrong mindset, already thinking of the next thing you ought to be doing, instead of leaving all else behind and focusing devotedly on worshipping and learning.
Here, John Newton points out that our mindset ought to be that of a priveleged friend. You are deeply indebted to the Lord for His faithfulness and unconditional love. He is the King, the only Potenetate and it is a privelege that you are even able to approach His throne of grace. And He promises to hear us and takes the most tender interest in us. Why would we want to count that blessing a mere chore?
So I'm coming back around to my challenge. I want you to spend at LEAST one hour in your devotional time with the Lord. What that looks like depends on you. You can study in a prayer closet, or on the back porch swing, or even sitting in bed. You can meet the Lord in the evening at sunset, or during your lunch break, or early in the morning. I prefer the morning, because it starts my day right, and there are several Psalms that tell of seeking the Lord early in the morning. Even if it means getting up an hour earlier than I would prefer, I still make it the very first thing I do when I wake up. It is what all my priorities are built around, and by keeping it there, I'm not distracted by what I need to be doing later on. It makes it that much easier, really and truly.
You also don't have to make that one full hour of reading your Bible. I include writing in my prayer journal, reading hymns, studying and memorizing scripture, and reading a few pages of some old works like Newton's Cardiphonia and Luther's Treatise on Good Works. Feel free to tailor your plan according to what works for you. We aren't made with cookie cutters, and there is no cut-and-dry plan that works from person to person. That's the way God made us, we all have different gifts and worship differently. Let that reflect in your private time with God.
You may be thinking an hour is a bit too much... I will boldy argue that it is not! It is much, much harder to commit 15 minutes that comes and goes, than it is to plan a good, hour long 'meal'. Give it two weeks and you won't even know why you thought an hour was long. I have been devoting an hour of my time with the Lord for two and a half weeks, and I'm seriously considering upping it to an hour and a half. The more time you spend with the Lord, the more time you want to spend with him! The more He feeds you, the hungrier you get.
"Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:3
It's like a 'viscious' circle; the more you delight in the Lord, the more that He becomes your desire, and the more you are satisfied and content.
I can't urge you enough to 'take a stab' at this. Pray about it, and if you approach this opportunity with a willing heart, you WILL BE blessed. Those who seek the Lord will be satisfied. But more on seeking the Lord in another post, Lord willing.
