Inspirational Thoughts #2
Starving For Time

I learned when I was in my teens that spending time with people you love is an important part of building strong relationships. The inspirational thoughts here relate to building the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

My husband and I have chosen to carry on a commitment I made when I was a young girl, which is to make it our priority to spend focused time with the Lord every morning. We believe the Bible teaches that meditating on God's Word is:

- the way to build a strong relationship with Him
- part of how we can bring blessing on ourselves
- food to keep us spiritually healthy

James 1:22-25 says "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."

Wow, the one who reads the Word and lives it out will be BLESSED IN WHAT HE DOES! Pretty powerful stuff. Who doesn't want to be blessed in what he or she does??? I certainly do.

But in spite of all the benefits I have received over and over from spending time with God and in His Word,  it seems all to easy to let it slip to the back burner when life gets busy.

For instance, yesterday started out on high speed and it seemed that one urgent thing after another was calling for our attention. First we completed our numerous farm chores. Then we had a short window of time if we were to go blueberry picking and miss the hottest part of the day. So we decided we would get time with God when we got back from the blueberry patch.

We had just gotten home from picking berries, when my niece stopped by to visit for a while. Before she left a local couple came to look at some guinea fowl I had for sale.

Finally after we ate supper we sat down to spend some time seeking the Lord.....and my Mom called in need of some immediate help. By the time we go back and did our evening farm chores and were exhausted.

I know you see where all this is heading. The hubby and I woke up the next morning and were very sad to realize we had neither one spent any real time with our Lord the day before.

I was not saddened because I thought God was angry with me or planning to punish me. I was grieved because we had chosen (indirectly) to put the Creator of the Universe and our Savior, my Father God and Daddy, at the very bottom of our list. His love for us made Him willing to give up everything, and we could not find a half hour to seek His guidance and offer Him our praise.

I was also sad because of what we had lost. The benefits of connection with the Almighty God are beyond numbering!! What a foolish child it is who would choose to play with mud pies in the street when a fabulous holiday at the beach awaited him. (A paraphrase of C.S. Lewis.)

Here are some more inspirational thoughts from God's Word on the matter:

(Though this is Old Testament, it shows God's desire for us to constantly be feeding on His Words.)
Deuteronomy 6:5-10 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Jer 29:13-14 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD

Jn 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

The Words He speaks to us are LIFE!!
Lord enable us to be consistent in our seeking of You as our first priority. We understand in our mind that we will starve spiritually without your Word as food, but help us also to deeply know that truth in our hearts and apply it in our lives. In Jesus name, so be it.