Devotions in a word - Time.
October 21, 2008 – 8:09 amI was thinking this morning about devotions and the meaning that they have in my life. When I think about stopping what I am doing to just sit or read or pray or something that will deepen my relationship with God, I often find myself saying why can’t the devotion just be a word that I can consume and meditate on for the day that speaks to my soul because I don’t have time for much more.
But as I reflected on my thoughts I realized that my intent might not seem to be right in regards to relationships. Relationships, for the most part, have centered on a common goal, thus making them practical in the sense of accomplishing something.
Yet, what is a relationship for the intent of relationship? Does knowing someone deeply mean there needs to be a purpose or a goal? When I go to God in devotion, am I searching for something that just isn’t because I am looking for a purpose or goal? How about my wife and children? (I find it easier for me to be goal driven with my children because I have to raise them to be successful, but with my wife… I love my wife.) She is all that I could hope for, but what does it mean to grow with her in relationship after 11 years of marriage and three children? Taking time to listen to her; or just being with her; or something else. There is no purpose to be seen - like when I was dating the purpose was to find the right person to be married to, and once married it was to set up a household for children, and now that the children have come it seems to be making ends meat. What happened to growing in relationship with her? What does that mean anyway?
Relationship I would like to surmise is spending time with someone to know them and love them for who they are. Not to change them or meet any specific goals because that in and of itself is driven by a task at hand. Goals are important, but as I grow I am noticing that goals for accomplishing things are not about growing relationships. In light of a goal, purpose, or intent a relationship is the glue that holds a couple or a team together because there is a genuine love for the other person that you are partnering with to achieve a specific goal.
So, for me as I think about devotions in a word, I find myself mediating on “time.” Time to get to know God deeper, as well as, those people around me (like my wife) without any goals other than knowing the other. As I walk through life, I know that God knows me perfectly, but find the challenge in myself. Am I willing to carve out time in my agenda driven life to take the time I need to know God for who God is? or my wife? How about you? What is relationship with God for you? or spouse?
