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Read |Luke 10:38-42|What's your love language? People all over the world, some coupled and others hopeful that they soon will be, have read Gary Chapman's work, The 5 Love Languages. In it Chapman articulates the 5 primary ways he believes people communicate and interpret the presence of love: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. I recently had the opportunity to take such an assessment and found that one of my primary modes of connection is quality time. Results, which would be unsurprising to anyone who has walked more than a day of life with me. Quality time is so important to me that I schedule it. In fact, it is its absence, in all my esteemed relationships that often serves as a trigger for the reevaluation of my priorities. And it would be in the midst of my morning prayers that I would be given the opportunity to rethink my priorities.
My mind drifted in and out of focus. At one moment I was praising God only to then be carried away by the thought of an unresolved conflict, a future commitment and finally, the invitation to sleep. At the door of this final invitation came the realization, that although I valued undivided attention as an expression of love in my interpersonal relationships, I often deprived God of His rightful place as the center of my attention--as the One who captures my heart. The first and great commandment is this: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'"(Matthew 22:37 -40, CSB). All. Complete. Total. Our God is one who values total devotion. If we consider the work of the cross, all of it from start to finish, was for the sake of drawing us into His presence. He drew us near by the blood of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 10:19 - 22). He drew us near that we might remain so eternally! Our great hope, which will not be disappointed, is that we may be face-to-face with Him uninterrupted. (Romans 6:4-5; 1 Corinthians 13:12 & 1 Peter 1:3 ). Our God speaks the language of quality time. In our focus scripture for the day, we encounter the famed Mary. Mary the one who humbly sits at Jesus' feet and fixes her eyes on Him alone. Mary who accomplishes this dove-eyed focus, in spite an awareness of all "the preparations that had to be made" (Luke 10:40, CSB). How did Mary do it? How did she stay her mind on Him alone? I believe Mary was convinced of a few things:
A Prayer for Returning Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of prayer. Thank you for your desire and love for us. Thank you for drawing us near to you in Jesus Christ. Father, forgive us for doubting your desire and love for us. Forgive us for forgetting that you are God. Forgive us for forgetting that you are our God. You are our God who sees, knows, and acts on our behalf, so that we may confidently declare that all things will work for our good. (Romans 8:28). Father we ask you to rekindle the fire that blazed in our hearts we first saw you. We pray that you will help us to see you as you are--AWE-WORTHY. We thank you for receiving us still and for the strength that your Spirit gives us to return and fix our eyes on you only. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Go Deeper Join the discussion in our Be-Held Book Community about prayer, as we read "Fervent: A Woman's Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer" by Priscilla Shirer.
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EditorCarolyn Sinclair McCalla is a daughter of God who believes that as we seek the truth of God's Word, and humble ourselves to live in agreement with it, that we will experience the transformation which allows us to enter wholistic wellness: spirit, soul and body. She is the Founder and President of EarthBasic and leads its Be-Held Community: a group of women seeking, living and being transformed by the truth of God’s Word together. |