15 Minutes of Attention ~ What Do You Hear?

In my last post I shared how my pastor had challenged us to approach our daily quiet time / devotional time with 15 minutes of meditation / reflection / decompression...whatever one might call it, but to take 15 minutes to prepare ourselves for time with God.  

For me, day 1 was convicting.  (details here if you missed that post)

Day 2? 
More conviction.  I had an early appointment that day and while I thought I had given myself enough time to add 15 minutes of prep time before reading the 8/21 devotional reading denoted for that day, I hadn't really made it a priority.  I ended up rescheduling my 'table for 2' reservation with God to later that day.  

Once at the table, my 15 minutes of reflection gave me time to think about how I would have done things differently if this 15 minute requirement had not been part of my thought process.  It would have been one of those days where I read the quick devotional, sitting in my quiet place, thanked God for the good word and headed out the door.  Hmmmm....this all sounds too familiar.  Wasn't it just a day earlier that I was being convicted in a similar way?  

Oh God of second chances...here I am again!

Day 3.  (yesterday 8/22)
The only things I let come before my reservation for 2 today was 
1)  coffee {a girl has to be awake to focus!} and 
2)  feeding the dogs {preemptive move made to avoid high potential of being interrupted by hungry canines} 

Today I decided to journal during the 15 minutes.  It's what I do when I'm in meetings where I need to pay attention, or when listening to a speaker and I want to stay focused on what is being said.  If I write, I stay on track.  If I don't...my mind wanders.  {ahem...to those that think I'm not listening to you *wink*}

So for this post, I thought I'd share my journal notes with you...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15 minutes to come into His presence...

Release control.  Of what Lord?

• financial worries
• to do list
• employment concerns
• people in my life
• the future

Surrender.  What's the difference Lord?  

• trust me to provide for you
• trust me to order your day
• trust me to lead you 
• trust me to take care of your loved ones
• trust me to protect you at all times

This is a time to empty my mind of all of the above and then 

let my mind be filled with His words and His thoughts 

before they are filled with the thoughts and words of others.  

This is a time to remember what allows me to come into His presence 

and appreciate the enormity of this gift. 

This is a time to grasp the concept of being in the presence of God:

• creator
• judge
• provider
• protector 
• comforter
• savior
• redeemer

Time to remember it is a gift / a privilege to fellowship with God, not an obligation in His part. 

Whoa... let me meditate on that again.  

God is not obligated to draw near to me ~ He desires to.  

My creator, judge, provider, protector, comforter, savior, redeemer (do I need to keep writing...) desires fellowship with me more than I desire fellowship with Him.  How backwards is that!  

My actions have actually said to THE ALMIGHTY "I know You desire my focused time and attention today, but I'm a little busy, so I'll get back to you later.  Hang in there....I'll be there as soon as I can"

Oh Lord, how many times have I called upon You using scripture that says 

"hear me now" and "come quickly"?  

And with the same tongue I've asked you to 

"wait until I had more time for You". 

Forgive me Father.  Redeemer.  

I want to be so crazy in love with Jesus 

that I'm caught talking to Him 

like I have an invisible friend.  

It starts here...in my time with you.  Focused.  Purposeful.  Attentive.  Humble.  Surrendered.  

15 minute timer sounds off....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I considered taking the thoughts I wrote during my 15 minutes and forming them into a few topical posts to publish here over a course of a few days, but instead chose to just share how powerful those 15 minutes can be when given my full attention.  

My journaling went on for 2 more pages after the timer went off as I captured more thoughts about what it means to come into His presence for education vs coming into His presence for edification.  Now that is a post for another day {grin}.  

Because I was just sharing openly with you today, I don't have a 'lesson' to build a scripture recipe around.  However, I did reference and link to a devotional thought I've posted in the past a couple of times in my writings above (missed it? Click Here) It offers a printable scripture recipe card if you'd like one...or just CLICK HERE to get the card directly. 

Prayer:
Almighty God, I am convicted by the realization that in spite of my sin, my distracted devotion and my lack of dedication, YOU still DESIRE to draw near to me.  YOU still DESIRE my fellowship.  YOU still DESIRE me to know You more.  And knowing all of this about me from the beginning of time, YOU still DESIRED fellowship with me so much that You sent Your one and only son to the cross for me.  Lord I am overcome with thankfulness.  I am in awe of Your unending mercy and grace.  I am convicted of my inability to show this same mercy and grace to others when I am out of fellowship with You.  I want more of You Lord.  I come before You in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.  

I'd love to have you at the table each time I pull up a chair.  If you don't already, won't you join us?

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God Bless and Keep You,

Copyright© 2012 Feeding a Hungry Soul

For more time at His table, try visiting these blogs where I like to link up in fellowship with other followers of Christ. CLICK HERE

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