Mowing the Lawn and Learning a lesson

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2

I was mowing the lawn this morning and thinking of the Psalms and listening the birds while feeling the cool breeze. The lawn was long and the time for mowing was way over due. Things have been busy. The times available for Karen or I to work on the lawn always were filled with cold or rain. So, it got down early this morning before I came in to the office. I found this devotional thought by Jane McLaren <janemcl@cnwl.igs.net> of Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. She writes for the Presbyterian Church of Canada Devotions. She is very correct in that our dedication to God's word and righteousness is the same as our yards...read below:

Yesterday I passed by a young boy learning how to mow the lawn. He stretched his arms up as high as they would go just barely reaching the mowers' handles. Even over the motor you could hear the young child's excited voice.

I couldn't help but think that it wouldn't be all that long before this young child would take over the responsibility of mowing the lawn for the family. At first he would probably be proud of his new responsibility and look forward to completing the job entrusted to him. All too soon, though, summer days would find him in front of the TV, or in the pool, with mom or dad reminding him that he still had to mow the lawn, "not tomorrow, today!"

What began as a fun adventure, grew into an exciting responsibility, and became a boring job to be avoided and postponed.

How many people could parallel this with time spent reading the Bible. When you first receive the Lord, His Word is fresh and you read as if it would disappear tomorrow. As you grow in faith, time in the Word becomes an exciting responsibility as you learn about God and His children. But, later, it seems to be a tedious job for which there is no time. Reading and studying the Word often takes low priority in the business of our lives.
Yet it is in God's Word that we learn how to live. It is from the Word that we receive courage, strength, power, freedom, comfort, and grace to sustain us in times of trouble. It is in God's word that we learn who God is and, by this knowledge, learn to trust in Him.
So, when was the last time you sat down and just read the Word of God.

Do you do this daily? Weekly? Only when you are stressed out or in trouble? Do you call on God when your lawn of life is way over grown and things are out of control? What's your excuse and what does God say in response to it?

Prayer: Dear Lord and God, you have entrusted us with Your Word and sent Your Holy Spirit as a guide and interpreter as we journey through it. Father, forgive us for putting so many things before You and before spending time with You. I choose this day to take the time to listen to what You have to say to me and pray that You will give me a hunger and a thirst for the Word of God that will require a daily feeding. Amen. 

We must never neglect the scriptures and our dedication to study, meditation, and application to it's truths. You know I love ya. Don