Every Excuse in the Book

Tis the season! Well...almost. Our tree is already up and the memories of Christmas past are coming back. Thanksgiving and Christmas were always so much fun. We would travel all over the state visiting family and celebrating the holidays. Dad made every effort to go all out to make memories we would treasure always. And that's what makes this time of year a little harder. Life is so busy and I feel so blessed that I'm usually going too hard and fast to realize how different life is from what it used to be. But the closer the holidays get, the more I recognize how different life is without Dad.
So that's what I was feeling over the weekend. A little sad. But I'm not writing to share my emotions with the world. Instead, I want to share what God did.
I've been reading the Bible since I was 10 years-old. I grew up watching mom read it long before any of us stirred. So for me, it seemed normal. Life is crazy. It always will be. There is no slowing down from this point on. Jesus is worth it. And when I spend time with Him, I don't always walk away feeling warm and fuzzy. But over time, I grow. It's like putting sand in the bucket. It's a slow process, but over time the change becomes evident and even drastic.
So today I woke up a little early as usual. I grabbed my coffee (because coffee makes my time with Jesus that much better) and dove into Psalm. I started in Psalm 119:65 and two verses later BOOM. He's speaking to me. "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word...My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, "When will you comfort me?"...Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (119:67, 82, 105) When life is smooth, it's easy to wander off. We compromise a little here, slack off there. That's what trials are for. They keep us focused on what life is all about: living for the King. When I'm in pain, I call out to God for help, and even though He doesn't always take my pain away, He draws he close to himself and loves me. He teaches me discipline and perseverance. And then I was reminded of what some of God's promises to me are via the sermon on Sunday morning. Promises like "he will never leave you" (Deut 31:6), "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you" (Isa 43:2), and "surely I am with you always" (Matt 28:20). The idea is that no matter what we face, good or bad, God is there. These promises are easy to memorize, but apart from spending time with God personally, this knowledge will remain in your head and never penetrate your heart. Sunday morning isn't enough. Group Bible studies aren't enough. Think about it, you can't really get to know someone on a deeper level in a group setting. You must spend time with them talking one-on-one. Why should we treat God any different?
2 Corinthians 6:1-2, "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." God wants to offer his children so much. But we put it off using every excuse in the book. God doesn't say "tomorrow" or "when you feel like it" or "someday". He says NOW.