It's Not Automatic

I woke up this morning with a thanks to God on my mind. But, just as quickly as I said "thank you", my mind began to wander--thinking about that guy I was talking to last night or the bill I need to pay this week or the tasks I need to accomplish today. I had to keep bringing it back in so that I could get through my morning devotion--reading verses multiple times in order to really absorb what it was saying. I was frustrated with myself for my lack of focus (which happens often). And, if I'm being truthful, many days, it's the other way around. I wake up with my mind already going at full throttle, preparing for the day or recapping the dream I just awoke from once the fog of the new morning lifted from my brain, and then I think "Oh shoot! Thanks God!" As guilt floods my spirit, I begin my devotion for the morning intertwined with trying to get to wherever it is that my schedule is dictating. At some point, I settle down and have some REAL quiet time, but what I've found to be true for me is that it's not automatic. My afterthought of praise often gives me a gut check. I really want to automatically wake up speaking in tongues and singing old spirituals. It just doesn't always happen that way.

As a young Christian, I used to believe that I would come to this day when it would--when my brain would suddenly switch from manual to automatic and fall in complete sync with my personal commitment to Christ--and I would roll out of bed everyday with an automatic praise and prayer. But today, I got some freedom as I read Amos 5:4, 14 where it says,

“'Seek (God) and live...Seek good and not evil, 

That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts 

will be with you, As you have spoken.'" 

The key for me was in that word "seek". I thought of the key verses of faith like Matthew 6:33 that says "Seek first the Kingdom of God..." or  Colossians 3:2 telling us to "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." The mere fact that the Lord uses an action word in His instructions to us is poignant. Seek. Set. DO something. They both imply that God understands that our worship and praise and prayer are NOT automatic. They imply that God knew that when we were "shaped in iniquity" (Psalm 51:5) we would have to approach Him with intention and purpose. Even the 12 disciples asked Jesus to 'teach them to pray' (Luke 11:1) and they were with Jesus in the flesh!

No. It's not automatic, but that means that in this day as with every day, we have the opportunity to expressly look for God in new and astounding ways. We have the opportunity for greatness in each and every day. We have the opportunity to take action and turn on our Jesus switch with purpose. And what we know in the end is that, He will meet us there, He will be with us and He will guide us through and through.

Be encouraged to manually turn on your Jesus switch and seek Him in this day. He's got something waiting just for you!

Blessings,
MinD