I padded quietly through the house, trying to avoid running into invisible chairs or tripping over the cat. She has a talent for walking literally under my feet, moving exactly where I was going to next step. The coffee maker, on a timer, had started 15 minutes earlier and was sputtering through the last few milliliters as it finished percolating. My shoes were positioned so I could step into them as I poured my coffee; with a full cup in one hand and a glass of water, set out on the counter the night before, in the other, I went down the basement stairs as quietly as possible, thankful they don’t squeak too much, and eased open the door to the garage – which does usually squeak. There I finally turned on a light, set my beverages on a makeshift table of boxes, and settled into the camp chair I had – surprise – arranged the night before. Nothing nefarious going on, despite the creeping around in the dark; just a mom getting up at zero-dark-thirty to watch an Olympic soccer game, and trying not to wake anyone else.
I’m probably not the only one who’s done something similar over the last week.* With the 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and the eastern standard time zone, it requires deliberate effort to catch some of the competitions live, lest our news feed spoil the results for us. Some of us are willing to get up early, stay up late, leave the computer on the bathroom counter while we shower so we can still hear the play-by-play, and/or go into work late in order to watch. (I feel the need to specify that I’ve not done all of those things, nor do I intend to.) It’s not specifically the Olympics either; throw in more regional or national sporting events, and then there’s the added allure (and cost) of being present in person to watch the rise or fall of our favored teams and athletes. We plan ahead, prep things in advance, “invest” money in tickets, and deliberately sacrifice sleep in order to view an athletic contest of little-to-no lasting value that practically changes our lives literally not at all.
I was thinking about all of these things earlier this week, as I relied on a third cup of coffee to get me through the long afternoon at work stretching before me after a very early morning. We put such effort into watching what are essentially silly games, but we’re not willing to make anything closer to similar effort for the sake of our spiritual health and our relationship with the Lord. How many times have you heard – maybe from others, maybe from your own mouth – that one just doesn’t have the time for daily Bible reading and prayer? “Oh I’d love to spend half an hour in prayer each day, but I just can’t get to it. I’m too busy.” I know I’ve said similar things. And sometimes, our particular situations may legitimately hinder or completely prevent the time we’d like to spend in the Bible and prayer; no judgment here if that’s the case. More often than not though, that’s just our excuse; even as a busy mom with a toddler and a newborn, it was never truly a lack of time that held me back. Most of the time, it’s a matter of priorities and discipline.
Perhaps you’ve heard the adage “A failure to plan is a plan to fail”. Kind of corny and a little cliche it may be, but I also recognize the accuracy in that. If you’ve struggled with dedicating the time you’d like to personal devotions recently, maybe take a few minutes to think through how you can plan ahead and prep ahead to follow through in the week ahead. Prep the coffee the night before, put it on a timer so it’s ready when your alarm goes off, whatever it is that holds you up so that when morning comes – or whatever time you intend to devote to your spiritual well-being – there’s no excuse. If we can do it to watch others strive for short-lived fame and glory, we can do it for the good of our hearts and minds. Very rarely do we just stumble into success; it really does require planning and dedication and effort.
I’m not a huge fan of getting up any earlier than absolutely necessary. If the Olympics occurred every month, I wouldn’t even consider watching a soccer game at 4am. There’s a reason why my alarm goes off 2 hours before I need to leave for work though, and it isn’t so I can blow-dry my hair every morning. It’s because that daily time in the Word, time with the Lord, truly is essential and it’s worth the effort.
*Yes, I know the opening ceremony wasn’t even a week ago. Various competitions, including the group stage soccer matches, started a couple days before that.
Thanks for the reminder, friend. Why is time in your worn, re-covered Bible so important to you?
This probably could be – and will be – a post in its own right, if not a series. The short answer though, absent any particular order, and in no way comprehensive: It tells us, in His own words who the Lord is. It gives us the history, not just of His people, but of His steadfast love and faithfulness in the face of their unfaithfulness. It tells us who we are. It corrects our vision and puts our daily lives into eternal perspective. With proper attention and the help of the Holy Spirit, it re-orders our affections and desires. It sheds light onto the path we walk each day and directs us where to step. It shows us the deceitfulness and fleeting pleasures of sin, the beauty of redemption and forgiveness that can be ours in Christ, the assurance of pardon, and the promise of hope. It gives us language for emotion, words for experiences, and gives utterance to the cries of our hearts. It offers a wealth untold, treasures innumerable, and joy unspeakable.
You are correct on both points. We all have a morning routine or habit that we follow and can be hard to break. But with a little planning and discipline it can happen. Also your reasoning for getting into the Word is right on target. From digging deep into a section you aren’t familiar with to rereading one of the Psalms and realizing that God is speaking to you in a whole new way. As stated in Joshua 1:8-9 meditate on His word day and night.
Thank you again for sharing what God has put in your heart with us!