Starting Out the Semester Right, Part 1

Have you ever gotten the shock of your life?  I did -- here at Bible college!  Coming from a church that preaches standards, I started to think that my standards were the measure of my spirituality.  Now don't get me wrong, music and dress are important areas in life that need to be addressed, but these do not determine how healthy you are spiritually.

Remember the story of Mary and Martha?  Even though Martha could be awarded "Miss Multi-Task," Jesus commented that Mary had chosen "that good part" (Luke 10:42).  All she did was sit at Jesus' feet and hear His word!  Martha probably juggled most of the cleaning and meal preparation, yet obviously she missed something.

This story shows two important points:  Even though serving the Lord is extremely important, He would rather you spend time with Him than do something for Him.  Also, we can become so "careful and troubled about many things" that we neglect personal time with the One we're supposed to be pleasing.  Being involved in ministry and going on visitation are good things, but don't put so much emphasis on them that you forget the best things.

If prayer and time in the Word are indeed the measure of your spirituality, then how healthy are you?  Do you feast daily?  Are you malnourished?  You might be wondering, "What's the big deal?"  In Part 2, I will explain what exactly we accomplish by having daily devotions.  I'll even answer the question, "If God knows our prayers before we even ask, then what's the point of praying?"  I pray that through this series, you will see how to start out the semester right!

At the Top of Your Checklist

School is officially in session at Heartland Baptist Bible College. I am already overwhelmed by the many projects and lesson plans to fulfill by the end of the semester! The numerous physical and mental demands of college life remind me that time with God is the most important appointment of my day. Balancing school, work, music lessons, and a social life has the tendency to force unnecessary errands out of sight and out of mind. We must be extremely cautious to never put God on the "back burner," if I can say that without sounding irreverent.

A wise man once said that if you are too busy for God, then my friend, you are too busy. Another wise man said that he esteemed the words of God's mouth more than his necessary food. If there is anything you need to cut out of your schedule, make it anything but God. Perhaps waking up a few minutes early to pray or skipping breakfast for Bible reading would be more spiritually profitable than saying you'll spend time with God when you "get around to it." If your schedule is insane, drop ten minutes of sleep or skip the Frosted Flakes, but do not neglect your personal devotions.

During my sophomore year I was challenged like never before to improve my fellowship with the Lord. He is not an impersonal force -- He is a real Person, and He wants to spend time with you. How does it feel when one of your friends says they will meet up with you, but never show up? The Bible mentions that we are capable of grieving the Holy Spirit. How do you think God feels when you make a decision to have daily devotions, but do not follow through on that decision? I am not bringing God down to our level, but it is perfectly biblical to say that we grieve the Lord by neglecting daily prayer and Bible reading.

As this semester begins, allow me to challenge you ladies (and myself!) to keep personal devotions at the top of our checklist. Since the Lord has been so good to us, we should desire to have this fellowship with Him. The wonder of it all is, He wants it even more than we do! Allow Him to guide you throughout your busy day, and your day will go so much smoother. Keep Him first every day of the semester, and it will be the greatest semester ever.