Being a parent gives one an insight to what Abba Daddy goes through with us on a micro scale.
This evening, I noticed a new pair of pants behind my son’s bedroom door. I asked him why he had not taken in out to the laundry basket because I wanted to make sure he could wear it for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.
“Because I had a lot of homework to do.”
It is Monday today and I asked him when the pair of pants was given to him. He replied the Thursday last. I counted the days off for him and then asked him again, out of those days, how much time was spent playing on the tablet that he could have taken just 2 minutes off to do what he had to do.
This need to justify one self is not just a problem 12 year olds have. How many times have we as adults justified away our quiet time with the LORD?
Quiet time is not a must but spending that time with Him is a privilege accorded to us so that “ALL THESE THINGS CAN BE ADDED UNTO YOU” after you seek first the kingdom of God.
“I had a conference to attend.”
“I had a deadline to meet.”
“I had some parties to attend and was busy.”
God doesn’t need us to spend hours with Him. What He wants is to spend a little time with us to encourage us, to sustain us for what challenges He knows lies ahead.
Just like I wanted to launder the pair of pants so my son has it for the festive season, the LORD wants to wash us in His Word and in His Spirit so we lose the dust that accumulates us as we journey through this earth; it is a blessing He has for us.
The dust that makes us discouraged, weary, battle worn, hurt, angry…
But we need to take the first step to give Him our little so He can multiply it for us. He won’t force us to spend time with Him like I would force my son to take his clothes to the laundry. He waits on us because He respects the gift of free will He has given us.
It is up for us to decide whether we want to humble ourselves to receive or if we want to keep justifying our ‘lack of time’ to open our hands and hearts to Him. No matter what our decisions are, His door and His arms remain open to us. He is just waiting on you, on me to come to Him, to ask of Him, to take from Him.