Beyond This Consecrated Time

"Quiet, still, alone in my room...
Stop and realize, I'm in the presence of a King."
--- Still by Roadside Monument

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."
--- Joshua 3:5

During this cycle of forty days, I'm trying to pay attention to the amazing things that the LORD does in my days, among my family, among Exodus Community, among my students and tennis players, and even in the broader world. I'm just looking with wondering eyes.

One of the things that I do to make this a reality is early morning devotional time. I take my Bible, laptop, and blanket and sit in the dark. Alone with God. As I read through Joshua this morning, I really resonate with Joshua 3:5. Consecrating or sanctifying means setting yourself apart. Every morning, I feel like I am setting myself apart. Sitting here alone is my way of thinking and preparing and being apart from the world I am about to enter. A world of students, excuses, scatter-brained forgetfulness, evaluation, comparison, parenting, husbanding, pastoring, mentoring, and on and on. I mean, just to write all of those words is kind of stressful.

"For tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."

I just stop at that line. Because what I have been doing is looking for You to do amazing things during my quiet time. And I recognize Your presence here with me. But I am only seeing the amazing things You do during my time of setting myself apart. With the Israelites in Joshua, You asked them to set themselves apart because You were going to go to work in their days. In their lives, in their travels, in their quest... You were going to affect the stuff of everyday life.

So, what does that mean for me. I cannot just stop my "slowly and attentively" with the Bible and the quiet time. This time must prepare me to see You do amazing things among those who I see on a regular basis. Stillness must prepare me to see You in my boisterous students, in my crying son, in my tired wife, in my heavy church.

But perhaps it will be that seeing You in these people will help lift the heavy burden that I can let them become on me. I want to see You in my students, and see them mature into people that love others and don't just seek attention. I want to see You in my son (some of my most precious times with him are when You've shown up). I want to see You through my wife. I want to see You in my church (and I know You are moving and causing growth).

I want to have these times in Your presence, but help me see how Your presence goes out then before me, parting the torrents of the Jordan. Help me to recognize the wonder of Your presence both in the stillness and in the action.

Today, that is my prayer. In the name of Christ my savior, through the Holy Spirit, I pray to You, Lord God, Amen.