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Renewed devotion

I am having a real hard time starting this post, but I am just going to plunge in and say that I have made some important decisions.

I have been guilty of not spending enough time in the Word, and the main reason why being that I start my day too late. It is way too difficult to find a minute in the day for a quiet time with the Lord with two noisy boys in the house who are still rather clingy, even if they do play well together.

Last night at church, I was reminded, once again, from a study of the book of Hosea, of the ugliness and awfulness of the sin of spiritual adultery. Praise God that His love is never ending and faithful, that He is always calling us back to Him. I was reminded of how God requires of us an intimate, personal and exclusive relationship with Him. Our relationship with God is pictured as the relationship between a wife and her husband and an important aspect of this relationship is that absolute and undivided devotion and loyalty is expected and required of us. What that means is any other things self or any other  pursuit, even legitimate ones, are to come second to our commitment to our God.

So, here is how this translated in my life. I was really convicted and decided that I needed to do something to get back on track. My wonderful husband has been, for the past 7 years (that's how long we have been married), trying to get me to wake up early and follow a routine. Up to now, it just never stuck. Well, I decided that it was time for me to make that effort.
Once again, last night I thought out loud, "I want to wake up early but I can't." And he said "No, you do not want to. If you really wanted to, you would. You manage to do it if we have to leave the house early." To which I replied : "Well, that's because I have to." Then  he said: "Well, think of it in these terms then." This gave me a brand new perspective. God requires of me to put Him first, and also to put my responsibility as a wife and mother before anything else. It is not enough to want it. We have to make a conscious effort to DO it. We literally "have to;" it is not negotiable. Isn't it how we teach our kids? They do not want to do half the things we "have" them do, yet we tell them, "You have to," in the hope that eventually it becomes natural and a delight.

I am happy to say that I woke up at 6 this morning and followed what I hope will be my brand new morning routine:
wake up @6:00
Shower
Make coffee
Quiet time
Breakfast
School

Another decision I have made, to help in this new endeavour, is to turn off the computer at night (which I never did; and which I am sure is good for the computer as well), and not turn it on again until the above routine is competed.

My husband did turn it on before I was done, but the Lord was gracious, in that I was able to stay away.

Please pray with me in my new venture on the path of godly living and a closer walk with our wonderful Lord and Saviour.

Have a great day, Joelle
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Comments

Anonymous said…
What a GREAT post! Isn't it amazing how God loves us in spite of our sin! I too, fail at this at times. I think we all do. But it is no excuse. Anything we put before Christ is an idol in our lives.

Something I do for prayer time......I start praying when I wake up around 6;45 am. If my kids wake up, they know to come in my room and if I tell them I am still praying they know to get a few books and sit with them until I am done. My 2 yr. old is now in training with this so it is a little more difficult right now, but he will learn.

I may try to get up early though. When I did before it seemed like my day went easier at times because my mind was awake and ready to go for the kids.


I will be praying for you.


Christine

http://adventuresofasimplelife.blogspot.com/
June 15, 2009 at 2:04 PM
lexi said…
I'm guilty! I'm going to come back and read this whole post later. But I really do have to make myself get off here!
June 17, 2009 at 6:16 PM
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