It was another one of those days; the kind where I sit in my office chair for hours seeking the message Father wants me to send for the day. The messages are hidden within my heart but as my mind searches the files inside nothing seems to click until I “hear” Father’s voice asking a question. “What are you doing Linda? Did you sneak in this morning just to grab your schedule? Were you not even going to knock on my door to say good morning? That’s why I don’t leave the schedule on your desk. I need you to see Me first. I had your breakfast ready and planned a short after-meal discussion before you began your day.” I felt shame. 

I obviously had the time–I wasted nearly an hour that could have been spent in the throne room where Jesus was waiting for my arrival. He watched me jump into my scheduled reading knowing I was skipping a step. He waited. He knew I wasn’t going to be successful in finding the proper message because I had skipped my time with the Director. I couldn’t find my schedule because it was on His desk, not mine. That was one way He could be sure that I would have to stop and speak with Him before I left for the day.

I once had a job where the boss and I had morning prayer over the business before we opened the door. As the busy season began she suddenly decided, day by day, there was no time to pray. I remember thinking at the time that her priorities were not in place. This time it was my own that were out of place. Was it more important to me to get the breakfast message out to others than to receive my own nourishment first? Aren’t we as Christians supposed to be self-sacrificing? Yes, but at what expense? How could I deliver a Spirit-inspired message if I had failed to allow Him to fill me for the day?

“ADONAI is good to those waiting for him, to those who are seeking him out. It is good to wait patiently for the saving grace of ADONAI.” (Lamentations 3:25-26) Sometimes my eyes are watching the clock as though it should dictate what I do and when I do it.  I sometimes forget that Father controls the clock. “The sun stood still in the sky and was in no rush to set for nearly a whole day.” (Joshua 10:13) Honor Him first and He’ll honor you.