There was a man who happened to have an appointment in the early hours of the morning with President Abraham Lincoln. He did not want to be late and so he decided he would arrive for this meeting 15 min early.
While waiting for the appointed time he heard in the next room a voice as if in grave conversation, and asked an attendant standing by, "Who is talking in the next room?
"It is the President, sir," replied the attendant.
"Is anybody with him?" the gentleman inquired.
"No; he is reading the Bible."
"Is that his habit so early in the morning?" the man asked.
"Yes, sir, he spends every morning from four o'clock to five in reading the Scriptures and praying."
We live a life full of busyness and worry. Many times we have so many things that need to get done and we feel like we have so little time to do them all in. From the things we must do for work, to the busyness that come with having children in school, life is busy. Sometimes it feels like we don't have time to breath. The thought of adding one other thing to our schedule seems impossible.
For most of us we tend to try to find ways to lesson our load by putting things off till another time. We might change an appointment here or there. We might decide to call someone tomorrow instead of calling them today. In order to try to make our lives less burdensome is we make certain priorities in our lives. We determine what we need to address in our life right now and things we can put off for another day.
Sadly one of the things we often put off in our lives for another time is our time we give to the Lord. In fact this is one of the first things that we put off in your lives. We think "Oh I can pray later", "I can read my bible or my devotional later on in the day". We may say "I will go to church next Sunday" Before we know it, one day here and one day there, becomes a week, then a month, or even longer. Before we know it we can go several days without spending any time with God.
On top of our busyness and make no mistake we are a busy people, but we have so many things that cause us a great deal of stress and anxiety. We worry about if we will have money for the car payment. We stress of the difficulties that we face at work. We become concerned with what the results we receive from the doctor. We become overly concerned with things we can control and the things that we cannot control.
Jesus has something to say to about our busyness and the stresses of our lives.
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.- (Mat 6:31-34)
I don't know what all was on President Abraham Lincoln's plate that morning. I could imagine that he was indeed a very busy man. I am sure he was a man who was under immense amount of pressure. I am sure the weight of the responsibilities on his shoulders was more than most of us have had to endure.
Yet it would appear that President Lincoln took Jesus advice found in Matt 6. As busy as he was, as many important and stressful issues that he had to deal with that day. As many things that I am sure was needing his attention. President Abraham Lincoln took time to spend with the Lord, and so should we.
So spend time with the Lord. Read the word of God, Spend time in worship and adoration to the one and true living God. Make it your first priority, your first importance. Spend your time in prayer seeking the Lord for the answer to the busyness and stresses of your life. Don't make spending time with God as something you can put off for another time.
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