Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 11, 2015
Guest Writer: Meet my friend Shana Schutte. We are blessed to have her as our guest writer.
Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
Some of us speak about God, but rarely experience Him. We quote scripture, talk about Christian books we have read, throw up prayers in the shower, go to church and say a few corporate prayers, but often will not carve out a portion of our day to enter into the secret place to listen to the Master. Why? Because it’s hard. Because it’s scary. Because it takes time. Because it makes us feel small and vulnerable and afraid. We doubt our ability to hear. (Was that really God?) We come face-to-face with our sin as His Word penetrates our hearts, (I can’t believe that sinful attitude is in me!), and we know that if we actually listen that God might expect us to do something with what we hear.
If I don’t spend time in His presence, if I don’t enter the secret place, I can still be a Christian without feeling like I am accountable to my Creator. I can live a self-focused life without being confronted with the depravity of my own soul. I can stay safe and avoid the discomfort of God asking me to do anything that upsets the apple cart of my carefully-arranged life. If I don’t hear from God, I won’t hear truth, and truth can at times be very uncomfortable, even when it’s healing.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
So we make excuses for why we don’t have time. But the reality is that anyone can find time for that which they truly want to do. Look at how people behave when they are in love. Nothing can stop them from expressing affection to their beloved. They find time because they want to, because it’s important to them. So when it comes to spending time in the Master’s presence, saying we don’t have time is, well . . . a cop out.
So rather than spend time in the secret place, we only get second-hand messages from our pastor, or an author who has spent time with the Master in the quiet place writing down His secrets. We read or hear them from these messengers of God, and—thankfully—we may even apply the truths we hear to our lives. But how tragic that we have received just a cup of water from someone who went to the Spring of Living Water for us, but we won’t go to the Spring ourselves to get filled to overflowing! The distractions that can pull us away from spending authentic time with the One who made us are too many to list: our kids, our mate, our job, our parents, our sleep schedule, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and a Saturday baseball game. But if we really believed that the God of the Universe was listening, would we stop in a quiet place, prostrate ourselves in prayer and really listen to Him?
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psa 91:1 KJV)
Prayer: Lord, you are my greatest treasure! Help me remember that I forfeit receiving so much wisdom and your words of life when I don’t spend time with you.
Application: What is a good rhythm I can cultivate to spend more time with Christ?
Related Readings: Proverbs 30:5, Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Post/Tweet this today: We find time for that which we truly want to do. #WisdomHunters #Don’tMissGod’sBlessings
If you would like to read more from Shana, you’re invited to download her free, Devotional, 30 Days of Hope.
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Well said, Shanna! My sentiments exactly! Thanks for writing this, I pray that it pierces hearts into taking time for God!
Wow! This devotional spoke to me in a powerful way. What really struck me was “But if we really believed that the God of the Universe was listening, would we stop in a quiet place, prostrate ourselves in prayer and really listen to Him?” This makes me ponder why I do not give God more of me, more of my time that He graces me with, do I truly believe He hears me every time I talk to Him? Your writing is beautifully written, easy to understand and touches my heart, thank you.
Thank you TK, for those kind words. I will pass them along to Shana and the rest of the Wisdom Hunter’s staff. We are thankful to have Shanna as a guest writer for Wisdom Hunters. I pray with you that “it pierces hearts into taking time for God!”. I can tell you, it pierced mine!
We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Have a wonderful day.
Grateful for you~
Gwynne
“Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along the straight paths.”
Proverbs 4:10-11
Thank you Diana, for your kind words after reading Shana Schutte’s devotional, “Come Into the Secret Place”. We are grateful to have Shanna as a guest writer for Wisdom Hunter’s and will be sure to pass along your encouraging words.
I think you may be speaking for many in the wisdom hunter’s family when you stated “This makes me ponder why I do not give God more of me, more of my time that He graces me with, do I truly believe He hears me every time I talk to Him?” Diana, you put into words what many of us were also thinking. Thank you for that.
Looking forward to spending more time in “the secret place”.
We are so thankful that you are a fellow wisdom hunter and we are looking forward to hearing from you again.
Blessings to you and yours,
Gwynne
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
James 3:17
I’m not one to comment much, but I just have to say that the last several devotions that Shanna has written have greatly impacted (convicted more like it) my personal relationship with God. Thank you for your inspiring words and for the boldness they transpire. Thank you for reminding us to go to the “Spring of Living Water” directly versus trying to quench our thirst with sips of water here and there.
Dear Geraldina,
Thank you for reaching out to us after reading Shana’s devotional, “Come Into the Secret Place”.
We are very thankful to have her as a guest writer for Wisdom Hunters and will be sure to pass along your kind and encouraging words to her.(I know she will be blessed by them)
I can safely say that I believe you speak for many in our wisdom hunter’s family when you said this devotional reminded “us to go to the ‘Spring of Living Water’ directly versus trying to quench our thirst with sips of water here and there”. Geraldina, nicely stated.
We are thankful for you and look forward to hearing from you again.
Cherish your special times as you spend those moments in your “secret place” with Him.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayered.”
Mark 1:35