DEVOTIONS, WHY SUCH A CHALLENGE?

We have about 3 weeks left before we close on our house.  Much of our packing is finished, except for the things we’re still using.  Not a lot to do at the moment, so I wasn’t at all happy when early last week my computer decided to die.  We quickly ordered a new one, but it’s arrival date is still a long week away.

Then last weekend we went to visit my brother and sister in law for the weekend.  I woke Saturday morning to find them outside on their porch.  My brother was going over his sermon for Sunday and my sister in law had her Bible open, having her morning quiet time.  I had my Bible with me, as always, but primarily so I could take it to worship on Sunday.  A Holy Spirit inspired thought struck me, how did I get out of the habit of making reading my Bible an every morning priority? 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but reading and studying God’s Word consistently has always been a joy, but also a bit of a battle for me, especially in the last few years.  When I saw Jan with her Bible that morning, I remembered back to a time many years ago when we were vacationing at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  It happened that a friend of our youngest daughter, Becky, was also staying at the same place, with her mom.  Her friend saw me reading my Bible early one morning and said to Becky, “Does your mom always bring her Bible with her wherever she goes?”.  Becky said, “Yes”, because it was true.  I still do bring my Bible with me wherever I go, but the practice of studying it has become inconsistent and dry.

The more recent lack of consistency started me thinking, “What has changed?”  The untimely death of my computer drove the reason home – computers have entered my life – and they are the boon and bane of my existence!  These marvels of technology have vastly improved my ability to write – journals, blogs, even letters.  They have made teaching preparation so much easier, saving me time and making editing a snap!  But the down side is that I am addicted.  I turn it on first thing and then throughout the course of the day, I’m continually checking things – email, Facebook, my blog views, the missionary agency through which I correspond with people all over the world (this is the thing of greatest value). 

In the past few months I have tried reading through books of the Bible I hadn’t read in a while, jotting notes in a word document and then writing my prayers.  It hasn’t been helpful at all.  I’m busy, typing away, but my mind isn’t truly engaging with God’s Word and God Himself seems distant.

Without my computer these last two weeks, with nothing else to distract me, I have resumed the practice I had back in the day when we were on that Rehoboth Beach vacation.  I have begun reading a book of the Bible and writing down my thoughts – asking questions, looking up answers, writing principles, making applications to my life. This experience of intimacy with God as He speaks to me through His Word is what my heart has longed for in the many months of spiritual dryness I’ve been experiencing.  I realize now that I can’t rely on my computer for my quiet times.  It is a task that doesn’t foster intimacy with the Lord Himself. 

Here’s a head’s up for you, when I’m not writing blogs about something the Lord is doing or has said to me as I study, then I’m not experiencing deep, meaningful quiet times with Him.  Feel free to call me on it! 

Watch out for the next blog because I’ll share with you something I thought about this week in God’s Word!