Our Highest Priority

(Pastor Dave's adaptation of Jesus Calling July 17)

The Lord calls us to come away with him, alone, on a regular basis. Your world, with all its nonstop demands, can, and needs to be, put on hold for few minutes, in order for you to be alone with Jesus. Instead, most Christians put Jesus on hold. Rationalizing that someday they will find time to do what they know is most important. But the longer you push Jesus into the background of your life, the harder it will be to find him in your life.

We live in a culture that glorifies busyness; we've made time a tyrant dictator that controls every minute of our lives. Even we who follow Jesus have been swept up into the tempo of the world. We've bought into the lie that more is always better: more work, more accomplishment, more activity.

But Jesus calls us to walk on a solitary path with him, making time alone with him our highest priority and our deepest joy. Not time about him, not time for him, time with him. A regular time of interaction; hearing from him and responding to him. This is the 'better thing.' This is the highest priority for a Christ-follower.

Jesus came to visit Mary and Martha. Mary sat at the Lord's feet, glued to his every word. Martha frantically worked for the Lord. Martha complained to the Lord about her sister, and the Lord responded in Luke 10:41-42 ". . . “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Please don't leave this devotion until you pray through it, making it your own and listening for the Lord to speak to you in it.