Father, yesterday was a little unusual but thank You for the opportunities given. The day did not pan out as I had planned but Your will was done and that is all the better!

One home project I was able to see to completion was to clear out some brush that had been encroaching onto our driveway. I had done it some time ago but it had grown a good four feet into where we park (see picture above – darker limestone is where the brush had grown over!). The maintenance was a long time coming.

Lord, as we examine our spiritual lives we realize that kind of laxity can have a lot more impact than a loss of parking space. It is easy to let things begin to encroach upon our time with You – things that are not bad in and of themselves but take up space and time that are more effectively used otherwise.

Prayer is an essential part of our relationship with You but so often we crave that 30 more minutes of shut-eye or we get caught up in the latest Facebook posts from friends and families. What is more important?

Reading and thinking on Your Word gives us a depth and understanding to carry us through the many ups and downs of life but to carve out one more slot of time in the morning seems to be an insurmountable challenge. And forget about trying to do it before bed, we’re worn out and ready to drop. But again…what is more important?

Lord, we require maintenance. To accomplish what You need of us, we must keep communication lines open. The clutter of the non-essentials of life can not only slow it down but it can sometimes bring it to a grinding halt.

May we take our cues from You. I am reminded of the many times when You took time out to spend in prayer with Your Father. 

After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Matthew 14:23 NLT

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark 1:35 NLT

After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Mark 6:46 NLT

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. Luke 5:16 NLT

One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. Luke 6:12 NLT

Help me, Lord, to clear out the obstructions. Help me to create the most needed time in my schedule for time with You – not just quantity but quality time. Give me a burning desire for what is truly important. Amen.

July 30th, 2017, Sun, 6:32 am