Devotion: Be still and be with God

As we move into the summer, schedules slow ever so slightly. There is often this sense, even in workplaces, that life is more relaxed during the summer months. School is out and even churches often have fewer programs over the summer. There is more time for family gatherings, picnics, and vacations.

Despite the more relaxed feel, we tend to schedule our days and seek to fill our calendars. I think our society finds it difficult to have non-scheduled time. Even the kids ask, “What are we going to do today?” Not answering that question with a list of scheduled activities, often brings the reply, “I’m so bored.” We are used to being on the go.

While God calls us to action and to follow in Jesus’ steps, we need to follow Jesus’ example. Jesus would often leave the crowds and the disciples to go off to be alone and pray. Jesus even takes a nap in the boat as the disciples are sailing across the lake.

There were always more crowds to teach and always more people to be healed, but even our Savior

took time to separate Himself from work and the schedule of His ministry, to be alone, to pray, and to rest.

There is always more work to be done, more meetings to attend, more laundry to do, dishes to be washed, and the list goes on. Perhaps what we need to do is to put aside our never-ending “to-do list” and to follow Jesus’ example of taking time apart.

This is not an easy thing to do for most of us, I realize. Yet, taking time to sit and be still with God, to listen to what God wants to say to us, might just give us a new perspective on our many tasks and help us approach them with new passion.

This summer maybe we can try to follow Jesus’ example telling the Good News, but also take time to be still and be with God, for God desperately wants to be with us.