Planning

“I’m an open book to You [God]; even from a distance, You know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back. I’m never out of Your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and You’re there, then up ahead and You’re there, too. . .” Psalm 139:1-5 (The Message)

Over the past year I have become increasingly aware of a deep longing in my soul to know (and be known by) God. God has already done his part; He knows all about me. But for me to know God requires time - time studying His Word, time praising and worshiping Him, time praying, and time simply being still before God and listening.

The Women’s Bible Study group I have been attending is studying the book “He Speaks to Me” by Priscilla Shirer. In today’s discussion, these questions spoke to me:

1. Think through you week; what do you plan ahead of time?
2. What do your plans reveal about the level of significance you place on things?

I tend to be a woman who wants a plan and I make lists. But when I looked at my list, I realized that planning (scheduling) personal time with God was not there. It is something that I “work into my day”. What an eye opener that was for me. What we value, we schedule - and I left the most important thing off my list!

God considers study, praising, worshiping, prayer, and listening important. He doesn’t give us a specific plan for what the process looks like, but we need to plan for the opportunity to do those things. I think I am going to re-evaluate my priorities on my new daily list.

“When we want God to show up and reveal Himself to us we have to plan and prepare to place priority on the things that are important to Him.” Priscilla Shirer