June 18, 2010
Don't Let Anything Get In Your Way
From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our "Friday Friends." So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend," Lori Fairchild.
Today's Truth
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (Psalm 42:1-2)
Friend To Friend
We recently acquired a dog. He's a beautiful two-year-old German shorthaired pointer named Buddy. He's a great dog - smart, gentle and well-behaved. He only has one quirk. He can't stand to be left alone. He loves our family so much that he wants to be with us every minute of every day. Whenever we leave the house, he throws a doggy fit. He destroys things by chewing on them and barks constantly. He stays in his crate while we're gone, and one day we came home to find he had chewed through the metal bars of his crate. He was so desperate to get to us that even metal bars couldn't stop him.
The interesting thing about Buddy's separation anxiety is that it didn't start until after we'd had him for several weeks. It wasn't until Buddy got to know and love us that he decided he is miserable when we aren't around. Buddy's behavior reminds me of how we should feel about God. We should desire to be in God's presence so much that we let nothing get in our way. And the more we get to know God, the more miserable we will be when we don't spend time with Him. We will feel like the psalmist when he says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
Yet, sometimes, we let the busyness of life get in the way of our pursuit of God. Instead of longing to spend time with Him, we give Him whatever time we have left over after we've taken care of our jobs, our families and our church responsibilities. God wants us to long to spend time with Him, to seek Him out, to act like Buddy in our desire to be with Him. He wants nothing - not our families, our friends or our activities - to stand in the way of us growing closer to Him.
Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I want to be closer to You. I want to seek You out each day. Create in me a desire to spend time each day with You. Make that time more important to me than anything else in my day. Help me not to let the busyness of life distract me from spending time with You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Now It's Your Turn
What in your life is taking up time you should be spending with God?
Do you feel like Buddy in your desire to spend time with God or are you giving God the leftovers?
Choose a time in your day to set aside to spend time with God. Choose the time that works best for you, but make it a point to set aside time with God each day.
More From The Girls
Spending time with God doesn't have to be rigidly structured. Talk to God all day long, but make it a point to spend some time in His word during the day. Technology is a wonderful help in this. You can get the Bible on your computer, on your phone or even on a CD to listen to in your car. Choose the time and the method that work best for you. There is no one set way that God draws us near to Him. No matter the method, the result is the same - a closer relationship with God.
Want insights into sharing God's word with your children? Check out Lori's blog, Everyday Truth, at www.everdaytruth66.blogspot.com.
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Originally published Friday, 18 June 2010.
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