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“From There”
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut. 4:29)
Deuteronomy 4:29 is one of those verses we have all read and said a million times. So common. We almost skim it because we know it so well. But this last week, when I saw it, something new jumped off the page at me. (Don't you love how God is faithful to do that with His Word if we just take the time to notice?!?)
At the beginning of the verse, it says "But if from there, you seek the Lord your God..." "FROM THERE." Those two words stood out to me like never before and I began to ask and wonder "Why?"
It didn't take me long to get an answer. You see, I have been struggling with my "Quiet Time" lately. My actual "sit down and do nothing but read and listen" time with the Lord has been hard to come by...and just to be honest, many days it is non-existent. It's not that I don't pray and talk to Him...or even that I don't read a little bit of scripture here and there...but actual TIME spent sitting at his feet.....not so much.
I can clearly remember what my "Quiet Time" looked like before I got married and even before I had kids. Bible spread out on the table surrounded by Bible Study book, Message Bible, highlighters, bible marking pencil, prayer journal, index cards, etc. I could get up and spend at least 30 minutes really reading and studying. I could pray with focus. And I just felt overall more spiritually "grounded" and equipped.
These days, there isn't much quiet around here. Even when I try to get up earlier than the kids, there are so many things clamouring for my attention, and focus is hard to come by. And I love it, I really do. I love my life, my kids, being a stay-home Mom...but I struggle with how to get some real "Quiet Time" with the Lord in the middle of all that.
Don't get me wrong...I know this is a season. And I wouldn't trade these years with my kids being little and requiring so much attention for ANYTHING. There will be PLENTY of time for me to have hours and hours of quiet time- uninterrupted. Right now I just want to take in every second of them and continue to enjoy all the blessings of this sweet season of life and motherhood. I really even feel a peace from the Lord about what my time/relationship with Him looks like right now. But sometimes I still want more. And reading this verse this week just helped encourage me that I can have it. Even in the midst of life right now, I can have it.
"From there." Seek the Lord from there. I started thinking about my "there's". All the places that I find myself in a given day where I need to pause and center my heart and thoughts on Him. The preschool drop off line. Taking a shower in the mornings. Running on the treadmill. Lunch conversations with Connor-boo. Rocking Avery Kate to sleep. Folding laundry. Cooking dinner. Running errands with the praise music blaring in the car. Cleaning house. Climbing into bed at night. And the list goes on. There are all sorts of "there's" where I can get some good time with the Lord, if I will use it.
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him..."
He's there for me to find. I just have to take advantage of the moments and seek Him with my whole heart and soul. Not be distracted by the demands of the day or moment...but use them for seeking and focusing on God. Seek Him FROM THERE. We all have "there's" where we can apply this. And just imagine the rewards for our spirits (and the rewards for our families as we "fill our cups" more!) we will find when we do this.
Lord Jesus, help me to seek you from there today and every day. Thank you for my "there's." Sometimes I get so frustrated at busy-ness and distraction, but these very things are actually blessings in my life. Thank you that we live in a country where we are free to worship you at any moment without fear of persecution. Help us to take advantage of every opportunity to seek You and know You more. Thanks for loving us so much and promising that You will be found by us when we truly seek You.
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut. 4:29)
Deuteronomy 4:29 is one of those verses we have all read and said a million times. So common. We almost skim it because we know it so well. But this last week, when I saw it, something new jumped off the page at me. (Don't you love how God is faithful to do that with His Word if we just take the time to notice?!?)
At the beginning of the verse, it says "But if from there, you seek the Lord your God..." "FROM THERE." Those two words stood out to me like never before and I began to ask and wonder "Why?"
It didn't take me long to get an answer. You see, I have been struggling with my "Quiet Time" lately. My actual "sit down and do nothing but read and listen" time with the Lord has been hard to come by...and just to be honest, many days it is non-existent. It's not that I don't pray and talk to Him...or even that I don't read a little bit of scripture here and there...but actual TIME spent sitting at his feet.....not so much.
I can clearly remember what my "Quiet Time" looked like before I got married and even before I had kids. Bible spread out on the table surrounded by Bible Study book, Message Bible, highlighters, bible marking pencil, prayer journal, index cards, etc. I could get up and spend at least 30 minutes really reading and studying. I could pray with focus. And I just felt overall more spiritually "grounded" and equipped.
These days, there isn't much quiet around here. Even when I try to get up earlier than the kids, there are so many things clamouring for my attention, and focus is hard to come by. And I love it, I really do. I love my life, my kids, being a stay-home Mom...but I struggle with how to get some real "Quiet Time" with the Lord in the middle of all that.
Don't get me wrong...I know this is a season. And I wouldn't trade these years with my kids being little and requiring so much attention for ANYTHING. There will be PLENTY of time for me to have hours and hours of quiet time- uninterrupted. Right now I just want to take in every second of them and continue to enjoy all the blessings of this sweet season of life and motherhood. I really even feel a peace from the Lord about what my time/relationship with Him looks like right now. But sometimes I still want more. And reading this verse this week just helped encourage me that I can have it. Even in the midst of life right now, I can have it.
"From there." Seek the Lord from there. I started thinking about my "there's". All the places that I find myself in a given day where I need to pause and center my heart and thoughts on Him. The preschool drop off line. Taking a shower in the mornings. Running on the treadmill. Lunch conversations with Connor-boo. Rocking Avery Kate to sleep. Folding laundry. Cooking dinner. Running errands with the praise music blaring in the car. Cleaning house. Climbing into bed at night. And the list goes on. There are all sorts of "there's" where I can get some good time with the Lord, if I will use it.
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him..."
He's there for me to find. I just have to take advantage of the moments and seek Him with my whole heart and soul. Not be distracted by the demands of the day or moment...but use them for seeking and focusing on God. Seek Him FROM THERE. We all have "there's" where we can apply this. And just imagine the rewards for our spirits (and the rewards for our families as we "fill our cups" more!) we will find when we do this.
Lord Jesus, help me to seek you from there today and every day. Thank you for my "there's." Sometimes I get so frustrated at busy-ness and distraction, but these very things are actually blessings in my life. Thank you that we live in a country where we are free to worship you at any moment without fear of persecution. Help us to take advantage of every opportunity to seek You and know You more. Thanks for loving us so much and promising that You will be found by us when we truly seek You.
{The above is Sam...featured as a "Testament Focused" picture...it went right along with the Deuteronomy verse and I couldn't resist!}
1 comment:
What a WONDERFUL thought...so sweet!
My favorite verse regarding this is from Isaiah and it says, "He gently leads those who have young..."
Sweet post.
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