Happy New Year! 2015 has arrived, and if you're like me, there are some things on your list you would like to do to improve your life. As a Christian, I am referring here to getting closer to God. And what would those things be?
One thing is reading and hearing more of the Word of God; the things of God. In my email inbox I receive at least five (yes, five!) different devotionals everyday. They are all from very reliable sources, and each one shares different things. It takes me quite a while to go through them all, and sometimes, especially if it's early in the day and I am rushed, I quickly read them, and then they are deleted. And most of the time, my mind has deleted them also. Sounds like they didn't do me any good. Yet, those sources put a lot of time, prayer (hopefully) and thought into preparing them. Now maybe, there are some readers whose hearts were touched by the Holy Spirit as they read them. And I can admit that I have had many of them speak to me personally, and I ended up printing them for future reference, and storing them in a folder, which is getting larger and larger. This makes me wonder. Especially as we enter a new year.
What does God think about all of this?
Quality is much more important than quantity, for sure. We can sign up for all the religious articles about God. We can listen to countless sermons and lectures about living for God. I'm sure that many theologians and pastors are deep into Scripture to prepare themselves for their ministries. But I wonder...
God wants us to know Him. God wants us to spend time with Him. God wants us to slow down and be still, for after all, He is God. We can fill our minds with all they can possibly hold of the things of God, while at the same time having empty souls. Hungry and thirsty souls for God. Because of our busy lives, we tend to give God a predetermined amount of time, and then end it, implying, 'God, I can only give you ten minutes this morning. Sorry, but I can meet with You again tomorrow.'
How can we expect to have a deep, vibrant relationship with God who we claim to love and follow when we do these things? We really need to look at this and make a conscious effort to make the time we have with Him a quality time. Take some time, everyday, and reserve it for God. God alone. Only God. Just you and God. Start with a half hour, take your Bible, maybe a notebook and pen, and go to a quiet room with no distractions. Begin by praying, asking Him to reveal Himself. Praise and thank Him. Be still and allow His Holy Spirit to breathe into you. Open the Bible and read. A Psalm and a passage in the New Testament, for example. Then pray. Let there be a quiet meditation, as you allow yourself to sense His presence with you. You will not be disappointed. And the more you do this; as the weeks go by with your daily time with God, you will find yourself looking forward to it, as it takes a higher priority in your daily schedule.
You will seek Me and find Me,
when you seek Me with all your heart.
~ Jeremiah 29:13
If you make every effort to work on your time with God, making it a quality time on a regular basis, you will find that everything else in your life will fall in line. Because you will be closer to God, you will be able to endure whatever happens in 2015, and beyond. He will equip you to handle anything that comes your way. Now, this sounds like a successful way to improve my life! How about you?
