Archive - November 22, 2013

I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

I would venture a guess that most of us that were raised in church have heard this verse – no, more than that, we probably have memorized that verse.

But how many of us as adults are putting that verse into practice? In a prayer group this month, I listened as multiple women shared that they are not having a consistent quiet time. Some even recognized that the days that they do not have a quiet time are the days that their emotions seem to run rampant and they lack patience toward their children and husband.

We all live busy lives which is why we need to prioritize our activities daily. When I know that I am facing a particularly busy day or week, I write out a schedule. You may find this to be excessive, but I find it keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. Instead of mourning that I have 15 items on my to-do list, I know that I only have three tasks to complete before noon, 4 more before 2:00 p.m. and a wrap up time by 5:00 p.m.

You better bet that I schedule breakfast, lunch, and supper every day. I don’t believe in skipping meals or even working through lunch. I believe in my meals. So why should I forsake spiritual food when I wouldn’t dream of skipping a physical meal?

For all of us who are “just too busy” out there, we need to keep a few things in mind:

• Don’t use raising children as an excuse not to have a daily quiet time. How will our children learn to make time for God if they never see us living it out?
• It’s not good enough to say, “I’ll read my Bible more this week.” Write out exactly what you will read and when.
• Create a sticker chart and purchase gold stickers if that’s what it takes. If you need help getting back in the routine of reading, praying, and memorizing Scripture, implement a reward system for you. For a month, I would pack a dessert in my lunch that I could only eat if I memorized the next couple verses in James.
• Make it a natural habit to discuss what you’ve read in Scripture with your family. Just like a book of literature can be more enjoyable with a book discussion group, the Bible will jump to life and stick in your mind better as you wrestle through passages and rejoice in God’s promises together.
• Ask God to renew your desire for His Word. But don’t just sit on the couch and wait for a lightening bolt to strike your heart. Get into the Word and keep reading.
• Lastly, don’t wait for your New Year’s Resolutions to come around to get back into the habit of reading Scripture. You can start a special study or group study January 1st, but don’t neglect the next 39 days that you could have spent time with the Lord.