“In Him we live and move and have our being” Acts 17:28
It’s an interesting thing that God made us “human beings” and not “human doings”! And yet we spend more time “doing” than “being”.
Why did God create us in the first place? Was it just to populate the earth, or was it to have fellowship with Him?
I think too often we take to heart the verse that says “faith without works is sin” and work too hard to “do”! And yet Father desires our fellowship.
I think many of us get in trouble spiritually because we focus so much on doing that we forget to BE.
Doing what? The preacher who reads his Bible only to get sermons and forgets to read it to feed himself. The mother who is too busy doing important things (taking care of husband and children, cooking, laundry, cleaning, carpooling! and MUCH more!) to spend some time alone just loving God. The student who spends hours in school and doing homework and not taking time to be alone with God. The dad who is working two jobs to keep food on the table. The deacon who thinks he’s doing God’s work by showing up to board meetings. The Bible school student, preparing for ministry, thinks that he has no time to just “be” unto God because he/she is so busy preparing to “do” the ministry.
I KNOW life gets busy. I KNOW we don’t have all the time we want to spend in His Presence … but can we shift things around so that we have SOME time?
I remember well as a young mother how busy I was … four young children trying to get them up, dressed, fed, lunches packed, myself ready to get to the church office, and all that moms have to do just to keep a home running smoothly. I KNEW I needed time alone with God, but where was I to fit it in? I would get depressed because I knew I needed it and thought I couldn’t fit it in. Then I will never forget the morning I awoke with a start and knew THIS WAS IT! I got up at 5am, took 15 to 30 minutes FIRST with the Lord, then showered, dressed, and off downstairs to start the routine with the children.
It became a habit. Sure, I missed some mornings, but if I was going to survive spiritually, I had to fellowship with the Lover of my soul! I didn’t put it into these words then, but looking back, I realize that I had to BE before I could effectively DO anything for God.
A.W. Tozer said, “I am of the opinion that we should not be concerned about working for God until we have learned the meaning and the delight of worshipping Him.”
Years ago my mother wrote a song, “Just an Hour with My Lover Divine” …
Just an hour with my Savior I’ll never forget,
In pray’r and communion with Him,
Oh, how precious and sweet, just to kneel at His feet,
Just an hour with my Lover Divine.
In that hour Jesus calmed my poor troubled soul,
All my burdens on Him did I roll,
Put a song on my lips, and a praise in my heart,
Jesus only I’ll ever extol.
That one hour still lingers in sweet memory.
I was comforted, held close to Him.
He whisper so sweetly, My child, thou art Mine,
Sweet assurance and victory He gives.
Chorus:
Just an hour with my Savior, my Lover, and Friend.
Hidden away in the palm of His hand.
He comforts and soothes, doubt and fear He removes,
Just an hour with my Lover Divine.
