šŖ“SproutšAgreeš¢Conviction
Importance: 70%
The Big Idea
There are so many pressures that get in the way of just being in Scripture each day.
Related Epistle: Love the Lord Your God with all Your Heart
The Struggle to be in Godās word
(used Feb 2023 for OSšEpistle )
Have you ever found the end of yourself? So often we get lost in our own thoughts or worries, our todo lists and deadlines, that finding the end of yourself often comes as a jolt.Ā
That sudden realization that I canāt do this. I donāt know this. Iām not quite sure where to go from here.Ā I recently found myself in this place (not an altogether uncommon place for me to be), when I realized that as a preacher of the word my time in the word had faded to the back of my to do list. So many things press in for attention and time. Self expectations, social expectations, and simply the realities of life (dishes donāt clean themselves) all fill our minds with a never ending stream of things that need done, or should be done.Ā
Under this pressure I have realized that over and over my old human nature proves to be a poor judge of what is most important. Like Martha I would rather be hurriedly preparing dinner than sitting to listen to Jesus. We gather in worship as the bedrock of our commitment to Scripture, but how easily we leave that commitment next to the altar as we walk out into the rest of our lives. We are a people that have been given living water, but often we (especially I) choose to wander parched in the wilderness.Ā
The more Christians I have seen and talked to about their faith journey, the more I realize that I am not the only one who struggles with this. We know where our life comes from and we have faith in Christ. So why is it so hard to regularly read the very words of God?
If there was one simple solution to this human struggle our world would be a beautiful blossoming place.Ā But the reality is we are in a constant battle with ourselves and this broken world to keep our lives centered around what really matters.
If you are reading this now, and you feel like you too have gotten distracted from regularly reading Godās word, I want to share one small thing I have started to do to get myself back on track. While days are always busy we often have times throughout the day where we are sitting at a desk, driving in a car or simply completing household chores. These very normal and necessary things often become the very things that āget in the wayā of having time to sit down and read Godās word.
But rather than look at these things as a problem. I have begun to challenge myself to look at them as opportunities.Ā If you already play music in the background why not switch it up? I have started to listen to an audio reading of the Psalms in the background of my office and when I get in the car to drive. This very simple practice has already started to give me a different perspective on these songs and prayers of Godās people.Ā I may be writing an email or turning onto veterans and suddenly a phrase of Godās word pops out of the background and grabs me.Ā
We know and believe that God speaks through His word. Yet our experience of this is often cut short because of the pressures of life.Ā Alone this struggle is overwhelming, even depressing, but that is why God calls us to be a part of His family within the church. Together - not alone - is how we encourage and pull each other up no matter how many times we fall or simply just get distracted. So I invite you to join me, join us here at Our Saviors, as we take on this journey of life.Ā
The goal is more than we can do on our own: ābut his delight is in the law of the Lord,Ā and on his law he meditates day and night.ā(Psalm 1:2) I fall short of delighting and meditating on Godās word this much every day. Yet day after day Jesus invites us to begin again, to come to Him, and receive life that will never fade away.**