I have just gotten back from a few days spent at Abilene Christian University attending their "Summit" which most of us know as lectureships. Basically it's 4 days of classes, worship, preaching, and general mind crunching on the latest and greatest in Ministry strategies and Biblical intrepretation. I personally call it, returning to the "Mother Ship"!
Here, gathered in 1 spot are some of the greatest Biblical minds in all of Texas, if not the United States. Dignified Ministers and Theologians who have more letters behind their names for all the degrees they have then I will ever hope to attain. More Ministry experience than I and definetly more books and clout hanging on their walls then my measley office could contain. I was hanging on basically every word as I tried to soak in the intelligence of these great speakers and teachers. Unfortunately, sometimes I found myself more aggravated then enlightened!
One class for example really rattled my cage, which may have been a good thing. Dr. David Wray spoke on the importance that Ministers take in the silence and solitude that comes in Ministry. That each of us, whether full time Youth Ministers or not, should spend daily time in pray and contemplation over the word of God. Sounds like a great idea BUT let me give you a brief run down of my morning thus far: Woke up by 7 after getting the kids bathed and prayed over after Wednesday night Bible class. Fixed a beautiful bowl of Fruit Loops, waffles, and Pillsbury Stroudel, for my Children as they prepared for school. Took the trash out, replied to 7 e-mails, and 4 Text messages. Ran to the office where I returned and van, had conversations with 2 Elders, moved tables, booked airline tickets for Honduras, and wondered why my stomach is growling at only 10:30. The rest of my day will be class prep, mowing the yard, helping homework, cleaning kitchen, putting kids to bed, and then hoping my eyes are still open to at least look at my Bride. WHERE IS THE TIME FOR SILENCE AND SOLITUDE AS I CONTEMPLATE SCRIPTURE. Basically, I find it easier to hammer on the importance of solitude when you don't have 3 children, a Bride, and a full time job.
I'm a great excuse maker and those are some pretty legit excuses I must say. Surely there has got to be a way in the chaos of life to think of God? I can have some great talks with God in my truck sitting at a traffic light. The children's Bible we read before going to bed can be very convicting and have nothing to do with the class I have to teach the next day. Popping in the I-Pod and listening to a little Third Day while mowing the yard can produce some great worship, just ask my neighbors! Ha. I guess the point is that we need to look at God and his word and allow them to interrogate us and not the other way around. There are lots of opportunities to see God, to be with God, and to dwell on his word without becoming a monk and taking a vow of silence. Life is BUSY. There is no doubt about that, but maybe we can get creative and find that time to be with God and his word. God's word has interrogated me, how about you?
Good post brother. "Life is busy" this is true.
ReplyDeleteIt is also true that no matter how busy my life is, I ALWAYS find time to do the things that I really want to do. I think the same thing can be said for many believers. I want to use the excuse that life is busy, but being busy hasn't stopped me from watching my favorite shows, hanging out with my friends, or doing a ton of other things that I really want to do.
So maybe our problem isn't that we are too busy to draw close to God, our problem is that it is not a priority to draw close to God. If it were, we would find time for it. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33
I know I have already given my two cents on this post but I just found this segment of John Piper's book Desiring God that I think it gives us the answer to the question "How do we spend time with God and His word in our busy lives?" This excerpt is a little lengthy but it is awesome! I hope you read it.
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From Desiring God 2003 edition, pages 182–183
"[O]ne of the main reasons so many of God’s children don’t have a significant life of prayer is not so much that we don’t want to, but that we don’t plan to. If you want to take a four-week vacation, you don’t just get up one summer morning and say, “Hey, let’s go today!” You won’t have anything ready. You won’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned.
But that is how many of us treat prayer. We get up day after day and realize that significant times of prayer should be a part of our life, but nothing’s ever ready. We don’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned. No time. No place. No procedure. And we all know that the opposite of planning is not a wonderful flow of deep, spontaneous experiences in prayer. The opposite of planning is the rut. If you don’t plan a vacation, you will probably stay home and watch TV. The natural, unplanned flow of spiritual life sinks to the lowest ebb of vitality. There is a race to be run and a fight to be fought. If you want renewal in your life of prayer, you must plan to see it.
Therefore, my simple exhortation is this: Let us take time this very day to rethink our priorities and how prayer fits in. Make some new resolve. Try some new venture with God. Set a time. Set a place. Choose a portion of Scripture to guide you. Don’t be tyrannized by the press of busy days. We all need midcourse corrections. Make this a day of turning to prayer—for the glory of God and for the fullness of your joy."