So much noise!
I’m not sure about everyone else, but I’m probably not alone when I acknowledge my daily challenge of facing the multitude of voices, distractions, opinions, and just flat out noise. I call it, “Managed chaos!”
I told a friend recently that if I neglect to start my day with a quiet time in devotion to the Lord, then the rest of the day is pretty much a wreck. It’s not impossible to salvage, but it’s super difficult to get passed all the ‘noise’ that zaps my time and energy at that point moving forward.
Unforced errors lead to unnecessary negative outcomes. By simply paying attention to what’s within my control, I can mitigate the temptations that I may otherwise succumb to by starting every morning talking with Jesus, and spending time in His Word, before anything else!
Jesus is our perfect example here in Mark 1:35, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” He too, knew His day could be ‘ambushed’ by busyness if He neglected to go to the Father first thing in the morning.
My time in God’s Word this morning mirrors Paul’s prayer for spiritual growth in Ephesians 3:14-21 for anyone who happens to read this post, “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”
I love how Jesus responded when Satan tempted Him! Matthew 4:5 says, “But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”
In order to be prepared for the daily attacks of the devil, we need to know how to respond like Jesus did by knowing His Word. Joshua 1:8 is a terrific reminder for all of us when he said, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
The Bible is truly God’s love letter to a lost and dying world. At the same time, He’s not going to force anyone into His kingdom. It’s entirely up to each one of us to either reject or receive the truth that is clearly communicated throughout the Scriptures.