Today's Devotional Thought
April 11, 2012 by Rachel Piferi
A Moment Alone
I am writing to you all this morning from a very quiet living room. I am enjoying a very rare morning alone as my husband and kids are spending time with my mother in law for Spring Break. I was visiting my husband's family with them until yesterday, when I returned home to lead Bible Study with Wendy, spent the night at home alone, and now I will be returning back to see them in a couple of hours.
But in the meantime, I am enjoying the sounds of silence. All alone.
I have to admit, it was quite weird to come home to an empty house last night. I had no children needing drinks of water before bed or assurances that there were no monsters in their closets. There were no dishes in the sink to clean or crumbs from bedtime snacks to clean off the counter. The laundry was all done. The carpets were all vacuumed. And I was all alone with really nothing to do.
Weird for this busy mother of three.
But such a precious gift.
Within moments of entering my quiet, clean home, I knew exactly how I was going to spend this extra couple of quiet hours. I knew that the Lord had given me a precious gift of extra time alone to spend with him.
Extra time. Beyond my normal morning quiet time and beyond my studying for Bible Study or other projects. He had given me a couple of extra hours to spend time in his Word for me.
Just for me.
And oh how sweet that extra time with him was.
As women, we don't get a lot of extra time. And in certain seasons of life, our time seems to be even more limited. I find myself in a pretty busy season of life right now with three small children. And I find myself often crying out to the Lord for some extra time alone with him.
And he gave it to me last night.
It is so rare to have this extra time that I almost didn't recognize it at first. But he sweetly whispered to me when I almost missed it. And sweet friends, it was such a wonderful gift in a very busy season of life...to spend extra time with my Lord and let him speak to my soul.
In recent years, I have really learned the importance of a daily quiet time with God. And many days, I don't want to leave my quiet time. I want to just stay in his presence and soak in his love and assurances. But as busy wives and mothers and friends and leaders, we have to leave those moments of solitude with Jesus to do what he has called us to do in this life.
And some days, he invites us to spend more time with him. To fill us even more. Don't miss those moments of free time when he is beckoning you to spend more time with him. They are gifts in a busy world. A gift of time alone with him to renew your soul, your heart, your mind, and your strength.
I pray that you all recognize the sweet moments when Jesus is calling you to him. To lay at his feet and bask in his presence. I know I enjoyed it so much last night and feel strengthened today because of it.
December