All to Myself
By
Jeannine Sawall
"I want you to show love, not
offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”
Hosea 6:6 (NLT)
A few years ago, some friends and I
were talking about our quiet times with the Lord: when it works best for our
schedules (morning versus evening) and how having routine quiet times impacts
not only our daily lives, but our family’s lives as well. As we continued
our conversation, the question came up about quiet times on Sundays. If you’re
headed to church, do you need to have a quiet time on Sunday, or is your time
at church good spiritual nourishment for the day. There were varying answers;
neither right nor wrong. But there was an answer I loved the best. One of my
friends said, “I still have a quiet time on Sunday because I love having Him
all to myself.”
That answer has stuck with me.
Oftentimes, my quiet time gets pushed back in my day due to busy schedules and
getting the kids off for school. Even Sunday mornings are gallant efforts to
move everyone efficiently out the door to church, let alone have a quiet time
before we go. While I know quiet times are a vital part of my daily
existence, sometimes they seem to be one more thing I need to check off on my
“to-do list” before I can get on with my day.
However, after hearing my friends
answer, I’ve come to the conclusion that a change in my “heart-titude” will
affect how I look at my quiet time. When I approach the throne out of
dedication to “doing the right Christian thing,” yes, I get “credit” for having
spent time with the Lord…and, more often than not, in His great grace, God
fills me and meets with me, despite my “Quick! Let’s get it done” attitude.
But when I approach Him out of devotion, with the heart of one who longs to be
with her Lord, I come away not just with enough to get me through the day, but
I come away overwhelmed by His love and overflowing with His glory.
The Lord desires our love over sacrifice.
He wants us to know Him and love Him more than He wants us to do our duty to
Him. Our heart attitudes should reflect the privilege He gives us when we come
together. Rather than HAVING to have a quiet time, we GET to have a quiet time
because there’s no greater joy than having Him all to ourselves!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What does your heart
reflect as you make time for your quiet time?
2. How can you change your
schedule to allow time to have the Lord all to yourself?
FURTHER READING:
Jeannine is a wife and mother of four great
boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves in several
behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood and has a heart for those who are
grieving.
