I wanted to share with you. Here is the link to today's reading:
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php ~OR~ find it pasted right below:
The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . . For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you" ( Luke 17:20-21 ). It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person’s life.
We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.
It is not the practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College— its entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.
What he is explaining here has been my experience this last week, and
probably beyond that. I have been crazy busy with all kinds of things
and by my choice. I had the week off of work for fall break and found
myself filling each day all the while the Father was whispering to me
" steal away with me Julie, come soak in my presence." Okay, just a
minute would be my response as I went about being busy. Come
yesterday, I felt worn, tired, empty, a little withdrawn, even cranky
and couldn't pinpoint why. As I got up this morning and sat down to
spend time with God He spoke to me with this passage as if He was
speaking to me through a megaphone! It was a duh moment for me once again and brought me to tears and repentance as I realized what the issue has been that was troubling me, what I have missed out on by not taking the time to be with Him and asking Him teach me how to do this. I have so much I want to hear from Him about and so much He wants to tell me too...all of us.
I share all this because I found it refreshing but also because being
still and spending quality time with Him is a spiritual discipline. I
thought it might encourage you if you find you are struggling with
this too, provoke thought about this and even bless you. Praise God
that He is merciful, gracious and meets us where we are at. He is
amazing!! What is He speaking to you?
