90 days

What do I spend my time doing? I've been thinking about this because today I am going to start reading through the Bible for the third time this year. Greg and I have been trying to read through the Bible in 90 days, and in the last 8 months we've done that twice. Ever since we heard the speaker at NorthWestern College our last year there, speak about committing ourselves to reading through the Bible quicker than a One-Year read through the Bible. (He spends time reading the Bible in 3 month, 4 month, or 6 month periods and does so with a partner or group of people. They meet together and talk about their readings, or what part of the weeks readings they underlined in their Bibles.)

We've always wanted to start that together, since we heard him speak. So Greg and I asked his family first to read with us and then my family the second time. I think having the accountablity of doing this together was what kept me doing it, to grow together and experience time spent with the Lord together and talking about it. I am amazed at how different it feels to be reading the Word that much everyday. I've always tried to read through and never made it, (except once that I can remember), it seemed like the readings were too sporatic and I would wander away and forget what I had just read and I just lacked commitment in the past. But doing it this way I spent time reading 13 chapters a day and felt my mind wandered instead to the Bible more often in my days, I think because of the amount I was reading. I have been blessed by these two times, and I'm excited to do it again. I wish I had made it a priority in my life before this. For the first time in my life, I am disciplining myself to read my Bible everyday, and it is a gift to me. It puts my mind on the things above and it challenges me daily to think about God more than I ever have before. Isn't it true that whatever we have our minds on during the day, whether it is a book we are reading, or a movie we just saw, or a tv program we are watching, or something we are struggling with in our lives. The more time spent on something the more our minds focus on it and wander to it.

My Bible study this year was on Colossians and it was a perfect study for me to do this year. Col. 3:1-2 "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." It tells us to put off the old self... and put as Gods' CHOSEN ones, holy and beloved... And on and on Colossians builds us up and exhorts us and tells us of God's promises. It challenged me even more along with my reading through the Bible how important the Word of God in our minds every moment is for us spiritually.

So back to my first question, what am I spending my time doing? When you add up the time spent watching a single tv program it can add up to days of hours spent in front of the television. I don't watch much tv myself, but even thinking about movies, when added up can equal many hours too, or the time I've spent complaining about something... What it speaks to me is, when it comes down to it, I want to be thinking every moment, is this what I want to be spending my time doing. Is it keeping my mind on the Lord, on the things above, because if it isn't then it is compromising my faith and taking me from where it should be. And those compromises are what keep us from living in the Spirit, with the Holy Spirit's gifts. :) It's a daily challenge for me, but a great one!