Priorities that Make a Difference – Part 1
I recently had the privilege of leading the women at each of our campuses in a workshop to sharpen their skills when it comes to handling God’s Word and deepening their relationship with the Lord. At Highpoint, we call this daily time in God’s Word and prayer a Priority Time because it should be the one priority that determines all other priorities. Over the next few weeks, I want to provide some highlights from the workshop. There’s no better way to ensure a fantastic summer than by deciding to deepen your love for the Lord, so I hope this series will encourage you to dig into His Word. I’ll start with the end...[bctt tweet="Priority Time: a daily, unhurried time to read the Word of God to know the God of the Word."]In the final minutes of my final workshop, I opened up the floor for comments or questions and a dear friend remembered a true story that had been communicated by my husband years earlier. It’s short and sweet but absolutely worth your time to consider. So enjoy... kind of.
Clyde, the man God used 20 years ago to teach Chris and me that our Heavenly Father truly does speak and wants to encounter us through His Word and prayer, was a man who was both incredibly affectionate and serious. One day, after teaching on the importance of being in God’s Word daily, we were feeling convicted and a little overwhelmed. The thought of getting to know God better sounded amazing. Yet thinking about getting up early every morning was exhausting. The battle with the snooze button is a real war for most of us.
About that time, Clyde seemed to offer a little relief. He said, “It’s OK if you don’t have a Priority Time in the morning,” he began. You could feel relief move like a wave through the room as we waited for the mercy we needed. Then he finished, “Just make sure before you leave the house for the day that you stop and say out loud, ‘God, I don’t need You today.’”
Mic. Drop.
It hurts, but it’s the truth. We each have 24 hours in a day. If our morning routine pushes God out of the equation, our actions speak loudly. We’re truly saying that we know what’s best and we don’t need to hear from Him before we start our day.Stop reading... and go spend time with the One who’s above all names.Join me next week for part 2 when we’ll look at some practical tips to make each time in God’s Word and prayer more meaningful.[bctt tweet="If our morning routine pushes God out of the equation, our actions speak loudly."]