December 31. The last day of 2009. All day I've been working down through my to-do list, marking off each item as I complete it, and then moving on to the next one. It has been very satisfying to see the long list shrinking as I work to close out the year at my office, and also prepare to be gone out of town for a long weekend. But at the back of my mind something has been nagging at me, a nervous dissatisfaction that I couldn't quite place, a vague anxiety. And all of a sudden, as I pause in my busy schedule to write out some end-of-the-year thoughts, I know exactly what it is. A realization bursts into my mind with absolute clarity, and the busy day fades into insignificance.
This morning I looked down through everything I wanted to accomplish today, and mentally calculated the time the tasks would require. In so doing, without conscious thought, I made the decision to neglect my regular time of Bible reading and prayer. Instead, during my appointed devotional time, I jumped right into getting those "important" things done. Things like finishing the apron I was making for my daughter, getting a gift ready for my granddaughter's birthday party tomorrow, laying out clothes to put in my suitcase after work, taking out the trash, and a few other items. By my actions, I was giving more importance to these to-do's and ignoring my daily appointment with the King of the Universe.
But my King wants me to spend time with Him. All through the day, as I've rushed about, He has been patiently waiting for me to keep my commitment to Him, whispering for me to slow down and come before Him with praise.
It seems like this subject is very much like what I wrote about on my last post. I must not yet have learned the lesson that my Lord is trying to teach me. His word tells me, "Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act." Psalm 37:7 (NLT) In Psalm 23 I read, "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength." At the end of the chapter, my heart clutches in my chest as I see the words, "Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life."
Even on one of my busiest days, when my list is long, my Lord is pursuing me with His unfailing love, tugging at my heart strings. He is inviting me to come away with Him for a few moments to dwell on His goodness, to rest beside His peaceful stream, to recognize again that time spent in His presence truly is the most important thing on my life's to-do list. He won't give up on me, just as He won't give up on you. He'll continue to pursue each of us for as long as it takes to get our attention
So what about you? The King of the Universe wants to spend time with you. He wants to show you His unfailing love and goodness, and give you His peace beside a quiet stream. Have you given Him His rightful place in the busyness of your life?
Will you join me in a renewed commitment as we begin the new year of 2010?
God bless you with His grace and peace in 2010.
Deborah
