ZPCBlog

About the author: Mike Ellis and his wife Beth have been members of ZPC since 2001. They have two grown children, Victoria and Josh. Mike leads a recruiting company and is a former ZPC Deacon.

Just 15 minutes per day. It doesn’t seem that hard, so why is it? It’s the same time it takes to watch one half hour TV show (fast forwarding through the commercials!) or run a mile and a half (I only wish I was that fast!) or eat a foot-long sandwich from Jimmy Johns. 15 minutes. I guess the honest question to ask ourselves is how I REALLY view my time with God? Is it more like a multi-vitamin that I gulp down once a day and be done with it or is it more like oxygen…I’m dead without it? 

For me I have to start first thing in the morning. It took me the longest time to figure this out, but God finally put it on my heart and mind to get up thirty minutes earlier…which has made a huge difference in my relationship with Christ. Now my routine is get up, make a cup of coffee, have a seat in my favorite chair, read some scripture, and have time to pause and hear from God. At some point in this routine, Rudy, our dog (who is more like a cat), will mosey into the room with that look on his face like, “I want to join you.” So, he and I sit and enjoy our time with God. But why? Because I have found that my time with God each morning:

• Helps to calm my anxiety
• Helps me focus
• Starts my day right
• Is like a cup of coffee with an old friend. An old friend who knows you, loves you, and brings you joy and wisdom.

Over the years as my time has increased with God, my desire to spend time with my Creator has increased. At first, I didn’t know where to begin so I started with Proverbs and read the number for whatever day it is (i.e. today is the 8 of Dec. so I read Proverbs 8). As time has gone on, I find that I skip all throughout the Bible. There’s nothing better than reading a story in the Bible and then pausing to say, “wait a minute…WHAT just happened???” (i.e. Exodus 8 – what? Frogs??? or Mark 8 – What?  Spit, dirt, and gave vision???) These reminder stories work for me when I get in a mode of woe is me or “this will never work” or “I can’t figure this out” frame of mind…God is always there and I can give him all my woes with the expectation that his will be done despite my anxiety.

As we look at Isaiah 11:1-10 today you can see a dose of hope from God. At the end of chapter 10 things are not looking too good. Axes will be flying and armies will be crushed. This can’t be good. But wait a minute. Chapter 11 turns to the future hope. Just when my mind was stuck on a cycle of anxiety and fear, God switches to the positive hope in him. Just like all those years ago, God is still providing daily hope and that is what keeps bringing me back. 

This has been a flat-out crazy anxiety filled year and one that no one could have anticipated. I don’t need to tell you about it because you have been living it! But what I can tell you is I wouldn’t give up my mornings with God any time - but especially during this time. Now is the perfect time of year to rekindle and grow further in your relationship with our Creator. Read the stories of Jesus’ birth and embrace the hope, the peace, the love, and the warm embrace from the Lord, the creator of Heaven and Earth for 15 minutes today while you enjoy a cup of coffee.

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