Be Filled

It was one of those frantic mornings. I whirled around the house, trying to finish fifteen tasks on my way out the door.

I saved the most important morning step for last. The coffee! The glorious, delicious coffee.

As the lone coffee drinker in my house, I have a single cup coffee maker. I poured in the water. Popped the coffee grounds into their designated spot. Placed my Half and Half and Sugar in the Raw on the counter. And then I ran upstairs to do one more quick thing while it was brewing.

I walked back into the kitchen to find a scene nearly worthy of a 911 call! The coffee had spilled everywhere. Everywhere. My dog was hovering over it, contemplating whether or not to indulge.

In my haste, I had forgotten one critical step. I failed to put my mug onto the base of the coffee maker, so the liquid love was unable to be captured. Instead, it made a giant mess. Not the best start to the day.

Ironically, I had a similar experience earlier that same morning. I ran into the living room to grab my laptop and I bolted right past my peaceful prayer spot. My favorite chair was right there, surrounded by everything I need to be filled up for the day. A Bible. A journal. A pencil. A stack of inspirational devotion books. Even a strategically placed coaster! Yet without putting my behind in the chair, I would continue to be as empty as the forgotten mug.

Why do I push this sacred time to the side when my day is jammed?

Does this ever happen to you?

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” With so many demands on our schedules, we can easily minimize the needs of our own hearts. Our hearts… the pathway to God’s peace, strength, and wisdom.

When we prioritize time to connect with God, even when our days are crazy (okay, especially when our days are crazy!), we will find that it is well worth our while. We have much more to give when we take a moment to fill our cup.

When I was beginning the habit of prayer and connection, a friend told me to think about a time, a place, and a plan. Simple enough. When would I carve out time for God each day? Where would I create a space for this time? And what would I use to stock this sacred space?

In addition to the items I mentioned above, something I often bring with me to begin my time in prayer is the daily devotion I receive from Proverbs 31 ministries. If you’re interested, check it out at http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/.

There are endless variations of times, places, and plans for theses nourishing moments, but one truth remains no matter how we play it: when we show up for God, God will show up for us.

I hope you’re all having a joyful week. I pray that your heart and your coffee mug will always be full:)

Knowing God loves us, loving Him, spending time with Him, and being grateful for what He’s done and is doing in our lives can help us have a real relationship with Him. Joyce Meyer