Putting God first

The past few weeks I’ve felt like I’ve been spinning my wheels with lots of busyness but not getting anything done. It is too easy to blame it on things outside of my control like the telephone, others in the house, etc., but God is not letting me do that.

This morning’s reading was supposed to be another passage, but here is where He sent me: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. . . . You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why? . . . Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.”

This Old Testament passage from Haggai is talking about a literal temple, but I am fully aware that the temple of God now is within each person who believes in Jesus Christ. I am a temple of the Holy Spirit, and God expects me to take care of His dwelling place.

This is not about caring for my physical body even though proper food, some exercise, sleep, etc. are important. Instead, this is about the need to take care of my spiritual life. My relationship with God and the attitudes of my heart, must take priority over the things of this life.

I know what I’m neglecting. With extra ‘taxi’ jobs, I’ve thought I can delay my prayer time and ‘do it in the car while I’m waiting’ — but something always seems to happen to interrupt or fill up that waiting time and I don’t get to pray. Also, people don’t usually call me before 9 a.m. but this past few weeks the phone has been interrupting my early morning quiet time with God. Instead of letting it ring, I’ve been picking it up. At night, I like to read and have been enjoying some novels, but neglecting my Bible. This is not working.

The Lord tells me to give thought to my ways. My efforts during the day become ‘lost in the wind’ if I’ve not given Him time to speak to my spirit, settle my heart, direct me, show me what I need for that day. Bible and prayer, the basic spiritual disciplines can’t be put off or chopped up without consequences. Without effort on my part to get input from the Lord, I’m left to my own resources, and after years of experience, I know that is not a good idea.

Test: the phone just rang. It is 8:13. I didn’t pick it up. Yikes! Focus is not my strong suit, but determination and thinking about these verses may save the day.