A few weeks ago, I decided to take up Heidi’s challenge and read the Bible in 30 days.  It’s definitely been quite the challenge!  Unfortunately, due to illness, I haven’t finished yet.  I’m still plugging along, but it’s taking me a while.   I have also been reading What the Bible is All About by Henrietta Mears.  While reading the other day, I stumbled across this quote,

Read a book [of the Bible] in a week.  Now don’t suppose that this is impossible.  It is not.  How much time do you spend reading in 24 hours?  How much time on newspapers?  magazines?  How much time do you give to fiction? to other reading? 

And I suppose you could add blogging in there too :lol:  

Consider an engaged couple.  They can’t seem to spend enough time in each other’s presence. They go out multiple times a week spend many hours talking and planning their wedding and their future life.    When they’re apart, they’re constantly writing emails or talking on the phone.  Their love is evident, isn’t it?   Telling them to spend time together isn’t necessary, the WANT to be together.   

Is our love for God that deep?  Do we constantly seek His face?  Do we eagerly wake up each morning, jump out of bed and grab our Bibles and see what God has to speak to us that day?  Or instead, do we hop online and look for that latest email from someone?  Or grab the novel on the nightstand and start where we left off the night before?

On a good day, I typically spend 45 minutes on devotions and prayers.  Sadly, I spend more time reading pleasure books!  I wonder, what if we picked up our Bibles and read them just as often as we pick a novel up off the bookshelf.  Unfortunately, I tend to go for the novel instead of my Bible.  Personally, I put God and my relationship with Him in a box.  I spend 45 minutes each day to “learn” about God.   What I have failed to realize is that it takes more than 45 minutes to strengthen a “relationship” with God - or anyone for that matter. In order to grow in my relationship with God and learn to love and keep my eyes on Him, I can’t limit my time to 45 minutes!  Besides that, reading the Bible more than once a day isn’t going to kill me!

God isn’t a like a box to be stored on the shelf and pulled out each morning!  If we want a loving and thriving relationship with Christ, we need to pull Him off the shelf and bring Him into our daily lives - not just once a day, once a month or once a year - but every hour of the day!  And guess what, God is waiting for you to take that step of faith and to incorpoate Him into your life.  He wants and desires a deep realationship with you.  He wants it to go past your 45 minute devotions.  The moment you take that step, the joy, happiness and love for Christ will overflow inside of you. 

See you next week…