We live in a busy world -- between work, class, and extracurricular activities, it is so easy to slack in our walk with The Lord. This is why we must schedule time with God.
That sounds like a strange concept, I know. Hear me out -- I'm not saying that we should only make time for God once a day. Rather, I am asserting that scheduling time daily to read The Bible, meditate, and pray, is a necessity. God should be on our minds all day long, but setting a specific time to read His Word holds us accountable. It helps us hold ourselves to a higher standard. It keeps us grounded in His word.
I know how it works, my dear friends. We overschedule ourselves. I am just as guilty as many of you are. I am speaking to myself here. We run from place to place trying to keep our meetings. We run ourselves dry trying to make a dollar to buy food and gasoline. We write essays, do huge projects, and go to what seems like endless meetings. We are so obsessed with the here and now. We are obsessed with getting that A, fitting in a workout, and doing great things in life. Let me stress that having these goals are fine; it is awesome! But let us take a moment and ask ourselves what comes after this life. What about Heaven and Hell? Where will your soul spend eternity? Let me just say this: when you are laying on that deathbed, you're not going to call out to that job you loved so much or that advisor you treated like a god. No. You're going to call out to Jesus Christ.
This is a sobering thought.
Think about it -- If you have a hair appointment, you're going to make that appointment. If you have a doctor's appointment, you're going to make that appointment. If you have a meeting with the KING OF KINGS, you're going to make that meeting!
So, how do you schedule time with God? Personally, I attend church services. Also, each night before bed, I have a thirty minute devotional and I study the Bible. There are many different approaches to scheduling devotional time. Go to Starbucks before class, pick up your favorite coffee, and spend time with God. Meet with friends and have a Bible study. Your approach may be different from mine; find something that works for you and stick with it.
"Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God." Isaiah 58:2. ESV.
As this semester begins, I urge you all to cling to God. Let us not become so busy that we begin skipping church and slacking in our walk with The Lord. Let us not become so busy that we forsake spending time with God. Let us not trick ourselves into thinking that getting in an extra thirty minutes at the gym is more important than keeping ourselves close to God. Let us remember that if we draw close to God, He will draw near to us.
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you..." James 4:8. ESV.
