Get to Jesus

It's been a tough couple of days. Michael made the last minute decision to travel to Florida after his dad has been in the hospital for more than a week. Multiple health concerns and now a surgery made it apparent his time spent with his dad would be important. The kids and I stayed back to keep to our normal schedule at home. I had forgotten what it's like to be a single mom but I don't miss it in the least. 

It was a difficult night for us all being away from one another. It became apparent sleep would not be easy despite the weariness felt. I've already been up for hours and it's only 6 a.m. It's given me time to think, pray, read, and workout (I guess now is as good a time as any to start that workout routine...).

I attempted to listen to something while I got ready. It's my usual morning routine. I tried everything but all I got was the spinning circle of apps thinking about loading. LPM, Focus on the Family, Right Now Media, iDisciple...none of them were loading videos. I tried to read instead except the First Five and even my Bible app were seeningly ignoring my requests.

"Doggonnit Satan. You are not going to get the best of me today!" I exclaimed out loud. "I just need to get to Jesus!"

I need to paint the picture for you. My iPad is open on my desk. Literally 12" away is my giant study bible, also laying open. Did you catch that? The actual printed Word of God. Not a piece of technology. It may as well have smacked me in the face!

In this case, all I needed to do to get to Jesus was turn my head a few inches and hearing from Him, not from a teacher, would be at my eyeballs rather than just my fingertips. Granted the touch of the screen wasn't summoning the apps I wanted but the living Word of Truth was laid out before me ready to be consumed. 

It's often the same distance from our head to our heart. Knowing versus believing, hearing versus trusting, seeing versus doing. This literal divide between my usual technological consumption and His God-breathed Word is often overlooked, but not today. 

His Word is alive and active no matter the version or platform but there's something about feeling the weight of my bible in my hands, laying it on my chest as I pray, hearing the heavenly sound of paper thin pages as I flip through chapter and verse, seeing the notes I've written, the dates I've etched alongside promises of His faithfulness. Today I just needed to get to Jesus and thank goodness He got to me right where I needed Him.

We covet your prayers today as Michael's dad goes in for a heart procedure to check for and possibly repair blockages. We know the Lord is near, no matter how far away we may feel. Thank you for your prayers!