Taking the Time

Recently the harsh weather made it impossible for me to continue my outdoor activities, so I took a rare turn on our treadmill. While exercising, I listened to classical music. One of the pieces, ‘The Minute Waltz’, a lively number with a quick tempo, motivated me to go faster. For a few minutes I managed it, but my body resisted this added demand. I had to slow down to a pace I could handle.

Similarly, we sometimes jump into or accept new challenges that crowd our schedules and our lives. The result is that we are not efficient or fulfilled in any endeavour.

God tells Jeremiah, ‘I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jeremiah 29:11). But I often wonder how we can know God’s plans for us. By taking time to read and meditate on God’s word in scripture and spending time with him in prayer, we can learn to trust him. For me, the first line of a beloved hymn is a helpful reminder of how to grow closer to God: ‘Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord’ (William D. Longstaff, c.1882).

Prayer: Dear faithful God, forgive us when we fail to include you in our daily walk. We want to know your will and to follow you wherever you want us to go. Amen