Although Jesus was extremely busy during His years of ministry, traveling around Israel teaching and healing people, He made regular time to spend with His Father. In Luke 5:12-16, we read about when Jesus traveled and healed a man with leprosy. The very last sentence of this passage says, “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”
We would be wise to do the same. Whether we realize it or not, our souls long for this time with God. When we try to fill it with other things, we find that we’re still spiritually thirsty.
Psalm 42:1-2 NIV says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” We were made to be in relationship with God. Like any relationship, growing with God requires time and effort.
When I haven’t spent regular time with God, reading the Bible and praying, I am easily irritated. I get grouchy. I feel exhausted and empty. It’s when I take a step back and analyze the problem, it almost always has to do with the amount of time I’m spending (or not spending) with God.
The world is busy, broken and noisy. It takes a toll on us. Our souls can feel depleted and defeated when we don’t make regular time to be with God. We cannot continually pour out of ourselves when we aren’t allowing God to fill us. Jesus modeled this well for us, making time with His Father a priority, even with a busy schedule and people who needed Him. If He can do it, so can we.
This three-day weekend is the perfect opportunity for us to spend time with Him. Here are a few ideas:
- If you’re headed out of town, take your Bible and journal with you. You can tuck in some reading and prayer time early in the morning or in the evening.
- Go out for a stroll and talk to God while you’re walking.
- If you find yourself with an open schedule, create a mini-spiritual retreat. A friend of mine did this recently and she spent half a day with God at the library. The library is a great spot because it’s quiet and there aren’t as many distractions as home. If budget allows, spend the night at a hotel, unplug and give yourself the gift of resting in Him.
What is your favorite way to spend time with God?
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