Who's Wild Now?

I changed things up a bit today. Interestingly, the same advice given to married couples applies to our relationship with God. Sometimes, you just need to shake it up. Some of you might doubt that I have a wild side, but today I had my quiet time in the kitchen. Yes, I did. Who’s wild now?

My conclusion is…I am very human, and sometimes I need to change the look of my quiet times to stay motivated. Since I am communicating one-on-one with the Lord of hosts, He too, is probably urging me to see Him from another room in my house. I listened to some Old Testament, I read some Jeremiah out loud, and I read some Matthew quietly…all from the kitchen.

Could I actually learn something from a new room? Let’s see…

If you have raced with foot-runners and they have wearied you,

how will you compete with horses?

And if in a safe land you fall down,

how will you fare in the thickets of the Jordan? – Jeremiah 12:5, NRSV

The truth is that I don’t know how I will fare. When I have failed in the little things, how do I expect to succeed in the big ones? I have grown weary in some small areas of my life. Money is one that I feel I am just starting to understand.

Caring what others think is another area where I fall. I know that other’s impressions are of no eternal consequence but, sometimes, my immediate response is one of wanting some woman in Bed, Bath & Beyond to think highly of me. Considering that I am often there in my grungy clothes, even post-exercise, impressions might be strong smelling but they are not always strong. I have ways of keeping myself humble, without even trying.

You see, I will see the horses coming. The horses are easy to spot and hard to beat. I need to work on the time in between. I need to practice running where it safe, because I desire to not only survive these upcoming races, but succeed against the horses and the thickets of the Jordan.

Perhaps, part of not being wearied is striving to know God in new ways, to change our routine a little, making room for His revelation in other parts of our lives, or rooms of our house.

Do you need to change up your quiet times to keep you motivated? How do you do it?

God let us see the foot races and learn these lessons without growing weary. Let us stand strong in the safe lands so that we will fare well in the thickets of the Jordan. Prepare us for these days to come and refresh our knowledge of you.