When You Don’t Want To Read Your Bible
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I want to be completely transparent. There are some mornings my first thought is to grab my cell phone and check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or my email. It’s not to get up, grab my bible, and be with Jesus. Sometimes I set my alarm to get up early so that I can read my bible and spend time alone with the Lord. But when that alarm goes off…the excuses begin to emerge…the reasons why I shouldn’t get out of bed yet…and so a majority of the time I either turn it off or set it for a later time and try and go back to sleep.
I’m not perfect and neither are you. Now don’t get me wrong, I do spend time with the Lord. But sometimes I give in to my flesh and simply don’t. Honestly, the excuses are pathetic. I could sleep in more. I’m too tired. I’m hungry. I’ve got to much to do. Those moments when I don’t want to read my bible should be an indicator that I need to read my bible. If I wait until I feel like reading it could be a day or two…sometimes a week. Feelings lie. Thankfully, the Lord is not only gracious in those moments of laziness but also very patient. We serve a good God!
Recently, while reading my bible on a staff retreat one verse in particular pieced my heart. It was the Lord trying to get my attention. Ever come across a verse in the bible that not only jumps off the page at you but is constantly coming to the forefront of your mind? You’re always thinking about it, chewing on it, wondering what it means, how it can apply to you specifically or trying to figure out what God is saying exactly? Recently, Mark 1:35 is that verse for me.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.” — Mark 1:35 CSB
Mark 1:35 convicted me of my own laziness when it comes to not wanting to read my bible. I want to imitate Jesus. He made it a point to regularly spend time alone with His heavenly Father. If Jesus thought it was important to get alone with His heavenly Father how much more do we need this time disconnected from the world around us and alone with God? Of course, I understand the humanness in all of us. How we all fall short of always making time to be with Jesus. Jesus isn’t looking for perfect servants (because the Lord knows none of us are perfect on this side of heaven). He’s looking for…
