“As the deer pants for streams of water;
so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?”
(Psalm 42:1-2)
Jack and Sarah are madly in love. They have been dating for two years and just got engaged over the Christmas break. Unfortunately, Jack is attending college in another city about a hundred miles from home, so they are not able to see each other every day. But they are very thankful for modern technology. They email or text each other several times during the day. Jack calls Sarah every night via cell phone. They have Skype, so they can see each other when they talk on the weekends. Of course, it’s always better when Jack can go home for the weekend so they can spend a day or two together. Jack and Sarah love to just hang out together. They are both longing for the day when they get married and can be with each other all the time.
Is your relationship with God like Jack and Sarah? Do you long to spend time with God? Do you communicate with him via prayer and Scripture every morning and/or evening? Are you looking forward to the day when you can see Him face-to-face?
This is the first week of a New Year. How about setting a goal to spend time with the Lord every day in 2012? You don’t have to be one of those “spiritual giants” who spends an hour or two every day in prayer. Just be yourself. And, be realistic. Start with ten minutes. You can always increase the time as you go. Here’s a simple plan – ‘Ten minutes with God.”
- Relax (1 minute) – Slow down. Be still. Prepare your heart.
- Read (3-4 minutes) – Read a chapter in the Bible (or a few verses)
- Reflect (1 minute) – Meditate on what you just read. Think about how the passage applies to your life.
- Request (3-4 minutes) – Pray. Talk to God. Share your prayer requests with God.
- Relax (1 minute) – Take a final minute to be still & listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Is your soul thirsty? Drink from the fountain of life. Spend time with God.
Dear Heavenly Father,
My soul thirsts for You, O Lord.
I long to spend more time with You.
As I start this New Year afresh, I am setting a goal
to spend time with You daily in 2012.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
