I cannot say I am the most studious person and no matter how hard I try it is a struggle to keep my nose in a book. This trait translated into my relationship with God and finding time to read God’s Word was no longer a priority.
Last week I sat in on a talk about how although God is many things, He is also our friend. It shifted my thinking and I realized that just as I would spend time with a friend to know them, I also needed to take the time to get to know God.
How do I get to know God? It isn’t just through prayer, but also through the reading of His Word.
Execution: Baby Steps….Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Starting small isn’t easy for me. I have the tendency to dive into deep waters and realize I am somewhere I did not want to be and I am tired of swimming. This time I will work slowly on building these new habits so I don’t immerse myself so deeply that everything else falls to the wayside – I need to keep my balance.
So, as I wade into the start of my day I will use the first 10 minutes to read the Word.
2013 UPDATE: I have made a LOT more time for God in my life over the last few years. Now that I have a daughter it is hard to start the day out in the Word when you feel so sleep deprived and babies are crying for their breakfast, but where there is a will there is a way. The YouVersion Bible app on my phone has been very useful for busy days when I have just a few minutes of free time. Now that my daughter is older and sleeping at night I have been waking up before she does to have a cup of coffee and start my day in the Word. It isn’t about when or how much time you spend, it is that you spend time with God. The time you spend teaching your kids about the Lord counts too. Get creative and act out Bible stories, draw pictures together, sing “The B-I-B-L-E” and “Jesus Loves Me”.
2022 UPDATE: I am in awe of the Lord at the work He has been doing in me for so very long. As I read and edit this post for my new website without knowing it, this is the topic for Episode 2 of my podcast, "But First, God", teaching that God is not just our first priority, but first and first in our marriage, first in our career and first in our finances, He is first in all things. I have found it as essential as the air we breathe to spend time with the Lord and have made it a part of my daily life. Check out the Episode here.