“I meditate on your
precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect
your word.”
Psalm 119:15-16 (NIV)
I
have a condition known as hypoglycemia. It happens
when my blood sugar (glucose) is used up too quickly or when it goes into my
bloodstream too slowly. The symptoms I get can vary. I might suddenly become
shaky, very tired and hungry or I may get confused or irritable. Yes, I know
some of you are thinking “So how is that different from any other day?” Very
funny.
If
it becomes too severe, hypoglycemia can lead to seizures or even a coma.
Thankfully I have never gotten to that point but I know that in order to avoid
those major side effects, I have to take care of myself.
Friends, here’s the truth: sometimes I am not
careful. Yes, I am very aware that I need to eat small meals throughout the day
and not skip a meal or go too long between them. I also know that if I eat a
diet every day that is balanced with protein, vegetables, fruits and fiber while
limiting sugars, I will have very few episodes of hypoglycemia.
And
yet, too often I try a “quick fix” like a candy bar to correct the problem. And it will “fix” the low blood sugar –
for a while. But all the candy bar will end up doing is shooting my blood sugar
up as it dumps a temporary boost into my bloodstream and then disappearing as I
drop to another low. And I am left with
the choice of either grabbing another candy bar for another temporary fix or
eating a meal that is balanced.
Sometimes
my prayer life is like that. I am in God’s Word for days, seeking His face,
asking for His guidance, praising Him for His grace and forgiveness. I am
“balanced” and ready for anything that might come my way.
But
one day I “skip a meal” of His Word and think I can make up for it later with a
“candy bar” in the form of a verse or two from Scripture and a short prayer. Will
it give me a temporary boost? Sure. But now I have a decision to make.
I
can either wait until another low comes, whether it is a situation at work or a
concern at home, grab another verse or two and hope it moves me up into the
high range. Or I can make time to feast daily on balanced meals of reading
God’s Word and seeking His direction for my life.
Just as a
balanced diet every day can prevent the majority of my blood sugar lows, so a
diet of being in God’s Word daily can keep me balanced between the highs and
lows of life in every situation that I face. I encourage you to stay in the
Word and spend quality time before the One who is a permanent “fix” for the
highs and lows of life.
Lord, I do not want a temporary fix of a few
minutes with you every day or two. I want to soak in your Word as I look for your
direction for my life. Help me to daily seek you with all my heart. In Jesus’
Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up
. . .
Reflect
- Do you
find yourself in a “hit and miss” relationship with the Lord when it comes
to your prayer time?
- What
prevents you from daily conversations with God?
Apply
- Make a
list of all the activities that you participate in for one full day.
- Draw a
line through those things on your list that could be eliminated or
rescheduled so you can have face-to-face time with the Lord.
Power
- Psalm
119:15-16 (NIV) “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I
delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
- Matthew
24:35 (NIV) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass
away.”
- Psalm
119:105 (NIV) “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
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