Making Personal Time with the Lord

The chaos of my day can be overwhelming.  I know that I should take time daily to be with Jesus; to worship, to study His Word, to pray.  Day after day I go through my day with rushed devotions (if I don't skip them altogether), quick prayer time before bed (as sleep is overtaking me), and frustration because I long for so much more.

I usually can rationalize it in my mind because I spend time preparing lessons.  I'm weekly preparing lessons for homeschooling and kids' church.  I'm also reading Bible stories and such to Megan for school.

I began doing Bible studies with the kids.  Laura's curriculum has her studying the book of Philippians.  I decided to make it a group study, even though the curriculum has it being used independently.  With me leading, both Jasmine and Laura are working through the program.  It's nice, but not exactly deep enough for me. 

Laura's curriculum also has scheduled a book titled, Beautiful Girlhood.  Laura has already read the book, so I decided to have both Laura and Jasmine work through Elizabeth George's A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.  Having read a few of Elizabeth George's other works, I knew this one would be perfect for a group study. It had been awhile, though, since I had read Elizabeth George's works.  I had forgotten how wonderful, yet powerful, her writing could be.

We only work on this book a couple times per week.  Right away I was convicted.  The book discusses the importance of spending time with the Lord on a daily basis.  Since this is an area where I have gotten lazy, God hit me hard with the feeling of disappointing Him.  

You see, preparing lessons is great.  Doing Bible studies with my girls is noble.  It all is a bit of study time for me also.  But God let me know it wasn't enough, that what I was doing was not any more intimate than a working relationship in an office... With co-workers that we only occasionally  allow into our personal lives.

It's short-changing me, because I long for intimacy with my Lord.  I long for that deep closeness with my Savior.  I crave the love and peace that only He provides.  Why would I ignore that for something superficial?

I'm human.  I get busy.  I get overly concerned with the immediate instead of the eternal.  That math concept needs to be mastered by my 12 year old.  The high school student is behind in her English.  The five year old would rather play with her miniature ponies than sit for her phonics lesson.  The husband has to go in to work early, so dinner needs to be made ahead of schedule.  The specialist finally called to schedule the appointment for my daughter's foot... First thing in the morning.

Life happens, but neglecting my time with God just can't.

I've been praying about my God time. It had to be a time of growth, of intimacy with the One that loves me most.  I'm praying through the particulars, but am excited at what I know God has in store for me.