Devotional Life Beach Combing

 

Devotional Life

Beach Combing

Devotional time is like beach combing

Every morning new things are washed onto the beach

As we stand on shore we see the big picture

The items washed up on shore reveal some of the details underneath the surface

The waves also give back the man-made items as well

A healthy devotional time will take time to get the overview from the beach

But will also go into the deep to understand the details

What washes onto your shores each day sparks our interest to go deeper

For wisdom and knowledge

Whether we are enjoying the view from the beach or diving into the deep

The most important things is

Knowing our loving God and keeping His commandments

 

 

 

Beach Combing

I am the worst candidate for daily devotionals.

 

I have never liked to read.

 

I love to be on the move.

 

So why do I love my daily devotional time?

 

Why do I get up every morning and spend

two or more hours with God’s Word?

 

You will need to ask yourself the same question.

 

Why would you make a devotional time in your day?

 

Remember to have devotion

you must have love and loyalty.

 

We all have different personalities.

 

Some people can sit for hours…

 

 While others are tortured being still for five minutes.

 

What will keep your attention in a devotional time?

 

It is the mystery and love of our God…

 

 But how do we work that out?

 

For me, I found I am a researcher.

 

 I like to go deeper than the surface. 

 

I like the details.

 

I am the person who looks out over the

ocean and sees the blue water, the sun’s

reflection and hear its sound…

 

 And it is not enough.

 

I want to know what is under the surface.

 

Both overview and deeper looks into

God’s Word are needed in our lives.

 

Enjoying the view on the beach is wonderful.

 

One of my favorite places to go for an

overview of a Book in the Bible is the

Bible Project.   https://bibleproject.com/

 

One of the things I love to

do is walk the beaches.

 

In March of 2020 in Miami,

 I had a great time finding interesting

things washed up on the shore.

 

As I picked up those treasures,

I asked myself the question..

 

 How did this item fit into the view of the ocean?

 

At times I would find items that were man

made with the things from the ocean.

 

The same is true of our overview of God’s Word.

 

 As we get the view of the big picture, we will

realize that there are things in life that don’t fit.

 

We will also realize the shell or sponge

we found on the beach came from

some deeper part of the ocean.

    

The view from the beach should spark

our interest in going out into the water…

 

To find where and how

things fit in the big picture.

 

 Whether you are snorkeling or scuba diving…

 

 You need to come up for air and

orientation of where you are at.

     

For you and I to have a daily devotional

time we must keep it interesting.

 

We must also find our

devotional time to be accurate.

 

So a good devotional time will see

the big picture and also the details.

 

What are you thinking about today?

 

Is it the big picture and you

need to see some practicality?

 

Or, are you thinking so much about

the details you lost the big picture? 

 

Your devotional time is to

help you live a devotional life.

 

God’s Word will bring us the abundant life.

 

God’s Word reveals the big picture like

standing on a beach looking over the ocean.

 

God’s Word also takes us into the deep

where the details of life can be discovered.

 

Be sure your devotional time keeps

both the overview and details connected.

 

Remember that more important than

all your study and knowledge you gain…

 

It is the knowledge of your loving God

that is most important and

keeping His commandments.

 

Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 NIV…

 

12 Be warned, my son,

of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end,

and much study wearies the body.

13 Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole [duty] of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,

including every hidden thing,

whether it is good or evil.

 

Scripture Reading

 

 Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 NIV

12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

 

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

 

13 Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole [duty] of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,

including every hidden thing,

whether it is good or evil.

 

 

John 5:39-40 NIV

39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.