Lately, I’ve been convicted to not only read every morning, but to go through the entire church and pray every single day for everyone who will be served and who leads within the church. Between reading and studying, there’s a pretty big chunk of time cut out of my daily routine, or, so I had reasoned. The sacrifice, I said to myself, was worth it. The funny thing, though, is that for all my reasoning, upon implementing this, dedicating myself to the word and to prayer, there seems to be more time in the day, not only for the tasks I need to complete (at the church and here), but there’s time in abundance, including for rest. I wondered about this, prayed and meditated and asked God why. The answer, it seems, was pretty obvious.
In Psalm 90:12, the Psalmist says “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Think about that a moment. Going before God, asking Him to prioritize our time, seeking Him out: shouldn’t that be obvious that the time we spend with God so focuses and orders our minds that the rest of our day is spent in wisdom? If we don’t merely set apart time for God, but pursue Him through prayer and study, shouldn’t it make sense that the rest of the way forward in our schedule for the day will be clearer? If we give that time over for God, we’re focused, we’re sharpened, we’re ready to take on whatever comes before us. Every day, I have a peace that I can only explain as “beyond understanding,” I have a purpose that I can say comes from fixing my eyes on Jesus, and I have my priorities in line.
In no way I am perfect, but I’ve found that, even if my days are busier, when I begin in prayer and study, I have more time in the day than I thought I did. I wish to encourage you to do the same. It may not be easy, and may take a lot of discipline to get there (it did for me), but every blessed moment is worth it. Seek God, and not merely with a small sliver of time, but set aside the time to focus on Him without any distractions, and watch how the rest of your day flows with purpose and rest. I’ll be praying for you!
Psalm 90- A Prayer of Moses
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.
For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.
You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
Comments