Praying for him and...

I love him. I really do. And I long for him when he's working nights and I'm working days. I think of him constantly when we are apart. Well, maybe not constantly, I was distracted by that driver who cut me off in traffic - didn't they know I was late? And I was distracted by the coworker who asked me for help... again... I thought they should know what they were doing by now. But still, I think of him a lot when we are apart. I love him. I really, really do.

And it saddens me because I don't know the last time he read his Bible or the last time he prayed. It's been a while since we've been to church together. So I pray for him. Every day. I pray for him because I love him and want to see him drawn closer to Christ. I pray for him every day.

Today, I was praying: "Direct his steps by Your Word. And let no iniquity have dominion over him." I pray for him because I love him. I love him. I love him.

But it hit me as I prayed, I need to pray this too: "Direct my steps by Your Word. And let no iniquity have dominion over me." Can I say that I am surprised that as I pray for him (because I love him), I am drawn closer to Christ?

Time Alone With God

I love it when God speaks to me through reading His Word. Today was one of those days that something jumped out at me from what seemed like it might be an unlikely place - Leviticus 16.  This passage details the rituals for the day of atonement.  This was the one day a year that the high priest was allowed to approach God in the holy place to make atonement for the people of Israel.  From this passage, I was able to draw inspiration for my daily time alone with God.

1. We can (and should) approach God daily
   Aaron, the high priest, was only to approach God one day a year.  When the Jesus died on the cross for us, the curtain at the entrance of the holy place was torn in two and we have access to God every day.
   We are told in Matthew 6:33 to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" This should be our practice each and every day to seek God and to seek Him deliberately and intentionally. Do you spend time alone with God every day?
2. We should prepare ourselves to approach God
   Aaron had holy garments he had to wear to approach God (Leviticus 16:4) and he had to make a sacrifice of atonement for himself and his family before he could approach God.
   We don't need to wear special clothes to approach God, but we should still make sure that we prepare our hearts to meet God. Do you prepare your heart before you meet with God? Do you confess your sin and accept His forgiveness? Do you have a special place you go to meet with God where you are free from distraction and you can focus on what God has for you today?
3. We need to prepare ourselves to re-enter our world after we have met with God
   Aaron and the priests had to change out of their holy garments, bathe, and change into their regular clothes before reentering the camp with the rest of the people.
   This really struck me as I read it this morning. Sometimes I finish my time alone with God with just the thought "it's over" and move on with my day. That does a great disservice to my time with God. Today, I was conscious and intentional about how I concluded my time alone with God. I prayed for my day and those around me as I prepared to leave my special place.

Are you intentional about spending time alone with God every day? Do you prepare your heart for your time with Him? Do you prepare your heart for your time afterward? I hope you do and that you draw nearer to Him every day!

Becoming Less

Heavenly Father, I desire to make Jesus more important in my life. Help me to humble myself and set aside my agenda and make myself less important so that Jesus will be lifted up!

Amen

Before

It's dark outside. The first rays of dawn have not yet made their appearance.

My family is sound asleep. Save for the purr of the refrigerator, nothing in the house makes a sound.

In the stillness I cry out to You, oh Lord. Hear my prayer. As I open your wonderful word and read, speak to me. Your word gives me hope to face the day. Walk with me today.

Waking Up

What wakes you up in the middle of the night? Maybe your children, especially if they are young, wake you up. Maybe your dog wakes you up because she needs to go outside. Maybe a storm is rolling through and the thunder awakens you. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I usually just want to roll over and go back to sleep. If something wakes me up in the middle of the night, it better be important!

Here, we read that the Psalmist wakes up int the middle of the night - deliberately - to thank God for His laws. Prayer and Thanksgiving are important, are they not? I want my uninterrupted sleep so that I can feel rested and ready to face the day in the morning. Would I be better off in the morning if I were willing to thank God - even in the middle of the night? Even if I weren't better off in the morning, would I be willing to sacrificially wake up in the middle of the night and devote myself to God? Regardless of the outcome, He is worthy of my devotion all day long - even in the middle of the night.