All But Impossible
Psalm 5
5:1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
5:2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
5:6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
5:7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
5:10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord. - Psalm 5:3
It was more than 35 years ago that A.W. Tozer said, " Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible," He penned that line long before e-mail, the Internet, 500-channel TV, and the addition of other "time-saving" technologies began to rob us of so much of our time.
But it is not just electronic obstacles and modern complexities that hinder the devotional life. More often than not, the biggest hindrance to establishing an intimate time with God is not something outside of ourselves. It's our own reluctance to choose to spend time in prayer and Bible reading.
So, how do we go about attemptingwhat seems to be impossible? First, we must confess to make time for God. Second, we need to recognize that spending time with God is essential for our spiritual lives. It should be as vital to us as making sure we get enough food everyday. Third, we must develop a plan. In Psalm 5:3, for example, we see that David scheduled special time with God in the mornings.
With those concepts in mind, shut out the complex world around you and open your heart to the incredible joy that comes from devoting yourself to the Lord. You can do what seems impossible. -JDB
O Father, help us be more faithful
In our quiet time of prayer:
We praise, adore, confess, and thank You;
Let us sense Your presence there. -DJD
TIME SPENT WITH THE LORD IS TIME WELL SPENT.
