Time for a Priority Check

I’m curious.  When you were in school….did classes resume before or after Labor Day??  We always started back the Tuesday after Labor Day.  Granted, that was years (um, decades) ago but I thought it was the norm.  Until my own children went to school and their new school year always began on the Tuesday just before Labor Day.  A bit earlier but, still, most of August was considered summer break.  I am so surprised by all of the back to school photos and news I have seen lately.  It just seems so early to me.  I really think it is still summer.  Not only do the temps confirm it but, even without kids going to school, my brain is still in a summer frame of mind!  (Don’t get me started on those wanting to decorate for fall already!!) 🙂

Whether you are soaking up the last weeks of summer and enjoying its pace or you find yourself already running at full throttle, most of us are probably in need of a priority check.  Especially with regards to our devotional, or quiet time, with the Lord.  The lazy hazy days of summer can easily make us, well, lazy.  Time spent in God’s word and in prayer becomes more and more sporadic – or even forgotten.  When super busy schedules resume, we often think there just is no time for quiet time.  Again, it gets pushed aside.  And so, priorities have to be redetermined, and the commitment made again.

I want to encourage each of you – no matter what season of life, or what your daily schedule includes – to plan for, prepare and make a priority your daily quiet time.  It might be as simple as beginning again or it may require sacrifice.  Your devotions – what you read, what materials you might use to help you, or even the way you keep your prayer life organized and effective – might be different than mine but that’s okay.  The goal is to have specific, purposeful time in God’s word and in prayer each day.  And to make that goal a priority.  The rewards are immense!