Guarding Our Time

I love Soduko.  I play it often.  The harder the better.  I may make a few (or more than a few lol) mistakes, but I still enjoy the challenge.  And I think as we get older it is good to exercise our brains and challenge ourselves.  One of the ladies in our Bible Study Fellowship told us about how we make new neural pathways in our brains.  There is a whole science behind it called Neuroplasticity.  Stimulating our brain by doing new things, helps us with being adaptable and aging.  Our brains can be exercised just like our bodies!  And as I get older I realize that is a very good thing.  

Ok, so onward I go to explain my title.  In the morning I have a sort of set routine.  I get up, empty the dishwasher and feed the furkids (five cats).  I make my coffee and maybe do a couple of simple, quick household chores while the coffee brews.  I then sit down to sip my warm brew and play some soduko.  Lately though, the I sense the Lord calling me to spend that "coffee time" with Him.  To come away from the morning game routine and be with Him instead.  

Well, I love my little game time. It's peaceful (although a couple of cats walking back and forth over the game can be a small impediment) and I feel like it helps wake me up.  In a half-hearted attempt at obedience I've been slowly trying to give it a time limit in order to obey the call I feel on my heart.  But that is not real obedience.  And the more I ignore the Lord's voice, the harder it is for me to develop the new habit of having coffee with Him.  I get sucked in by the game playing.

The more we do something, the more routine it becomes, and the  more our brain is comfortable with it.  And that is not a good thing when it causes us to disobey the Lord.  Yes, I enjoy playing Soduko.  I enjoy the sweet "break" before the day begins in earnest with all it's to dos, activities and attention grabbers.  God is calling me to a new routine and if I don't guard that time with Him, I will lose the desire all together.  I will be sucked into worldly pursuits instead of enjoying beautiful fellowship with my Father and Savior.  

Think about this: What would be a more beneficial way to spend some time in the morning?  Would it be playing a game or being in the Presence of the sovereign Creator of the Universe?  Seems like a no brainer, huh?  I know this may be extreme but Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.  But there's a principle there...we need to serve, obey, and spend time with the Lord first, give Him the best of our day and ourselves.  Guarding our time jealousy against anything that causes us to lose fervor for Him.  

Obedience carries so much blessing.  And listening to the call of the Lord will bless us with intimacy, peace and a deeper relationship with Him.  Don't allow the call of the world drown out the desire of our Father to spend time with you.  

Lord, I've been disobedient.  Half baked obedience is no obedience at all.  Forgive me.  Help me to let go of the things of this world that clamor for my attention and focus my heart on You.  Yes, we can do puzzles, and other things we enjoy...but it has to be You first and "yes, Lord" when You call to our hearts.  You give us so many good things to enjoy...thank You.  But the first desire of my heart needs to be You alone.  And the more time we spend with You the more our hearts (and our neural pathways) will cling to that precious time with You.  Give us the desire and the determination to obey.  It's in our Savior's Name we pray.  Amen.

Guard your time.