Meeting at Starbucks with God

The term "devotions" as I see it represented in todays culture ( Christian and secular), represents a short portion of a Christian's daily routine. This routine includes a short time spent in prayer, Bible reading and perhaps even ( for the really "spiritual" christian) a silent time of meditation. All this sounds great, but did our devotion to God become a cliche we use flippantly to represent a five-minute spiritual coffee shot in the arm? I'm not saying that any of that is bad but, we must be careful not to treat or devotional time with God like we do our double shot expresso - quick, sweet, and a temporary energy boost. Its not an easy bake formula for spiritual growth, its a valuable connection to God!!!

The purpose of meeting with God is not just to keep us spiritually "awake" during the day; its a time spent together for relational intimacy and connection. Our whole lives should be offered up as a devotion to Him. Romans 12:1 states this clearly...

" I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Also in I Corinthians 6:19 - 20 it says: " Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

You ARE a devotion to God, and you should continually be in prayer and worship of God. Its not a punch in... punch out time card.

So if we are to be connected to God all day... How, when and where do we spend our quality time with our Savior? If we look in the Bible we find that throughout Biblical history people have risen early in the morning to meditate on God. Jacob in Genesis 28: 16- 18 built an alter before the Lord in the morning. The prophet Samuel parents rose early and went out of the city to worship in 1 Samuel 1:19. Then in 2 Chronicles 29:20- 31 King Hezekiah came in the morning before the Lord to offer up his sacrifice. Job in Job 1:5 arose each morning to sacrifice his offering to the Lord. Also Jesus himself in Mark 1:35 got up early while it was still dark to go and pray in a desolate place.

Each day we should also start our day in prayer. If you don't have time in the morning, the answer is simple get up earlier ( even if you have to take a nap later in the day) Go before the Lord expecting to learn something new about Him. Dive into his Word... don't skip stones over it. Every time try to read something that you haven't read before. If you haven't read the Bible all the way through you'd be surprised at the new stuff you find or new stories you may not have heard or forgotten.

Another reoccurring thing I find in those passages that are listed is that the people worshipped somewhere that they were least likely to find distractions. Samuel' parents went completly out of the city. Jesus found a desolate place. Find your quiet place that you can focus on God. FOCUS!!!! you will never be 20/20 with God but it sure should be our goal.

James 4:8 says: " Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." God's design for our lives is that prayer, reading, worship, and meditation be used as life expressions to grow in love and intimacy with the Father. Isn't that why we are all here anyway, to be closer to Him?