I haven’t posted anything for a while—it isn’t because I haven’t sat down at my computer with every intention of writing; I just keep drawing a blank.  Oh, I might start out with a direction or a “vision” of something the Lord was placing on my heart, it is just my passion would begin to fizzle after the first few paragraphs and I would forget what got me started writing in the first place.

My ability to write most often is related to the time I spend quieting my heart and shutting out distractions—not always easy to do, especially since there are a lot of things going on in my family right now.  My relationship with Jesus starts my day, though when I let social media or e-mail infringe on my time, the quality of time also diminishes along with the quantity.

The Holy Spirit counsels through scripture, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The Lord of host is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:10).

Speaking from experience it is very easy to allow the many distractions coming at me each day to short-change the moments I have to quiet my heart, to know God in every circumstance of my life and hear His voice.  As I write this blog, I must acknowledge that it is not about me, it is about Him, about knowing Him, and exalting Jesus and His purposes for our lives—and that means stilling my heart and listening to Him.

Yet it is so easy to slip into my diversions that they become exalted in my life by the time I am allowing for them.  That is not to say that the internet or my hobbies or other activities are bad (they may be, though), the issue has everything to do with what is being given precedence in my life; who or what am I exalting in my time or my attention?

Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  Therefore I run thus:  not with uncertainty.  Thus I fight:  not as one who beats the air.  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Sometimes it is easier to discipline ourselves with physical exercise because we are motivated to look good, remaining healthy and active, than to keep up with the spiritual disciplines necessary for a vital relationship with God.  Yet for a dynamic relationship with Jesus we must treasure the time we get to spend with Him.  It is essential to stay focused, with determination, on our Savior and our mission in this life.

The trick of course is to get our hearts involved instead of just establishing a legalistic formula for being a Christian.  Unfortunately, so many of the unChrist-like offenses committed by some in the name of Christianity are done by those who don’t really know Him, who haven’t spent time searching the scriptures, understanding that the Bible—all of it—testifies of Him.  …and when we start getting to know Him, we want to know Jesus more—more about His personality, the things He values, and the lifestyle that is pleasing to Him.

I often forget that we also have an enemy who seeks to derail our relationship with God—and the enemy is strategic in side-lining us from fulfilling God’s purposes for our lives.  It is not just me fighting within myself to follow hard after Jesus, because the Holy Spirit also cautions through the apostle Paul, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesian 6:12).

The safest place to be in this world is “near to the heart of God”.  No matter what is going on around us we need to draw near to God, surrendering to Him the things that destroy our usefulness for His kingdom.  We must not let sin or compromise with righteousness hinder our witness or silence His voice in the stillness.  “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7, 8).

One must be blind or unwilling to see the rampant evil loose in the world nowadays.  Now more than ever the world’s point of view will seem to make more sense than God’s point of view.  Let us decide together to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10), not allowing “the world around [us] squeeze [us] into its own mould!” (Romans 12:1 JB Phillips).