Reflection: It’s a truism, isn’t it, that marriages fail when communication ceases. People wither on the emotional vine when meaningful communication breaks down. Similarly, you will wither spiritually and have a crisis of faith if you don’t speak with God. It is not for nothing that the apostle Paul says, ‘pray continually’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17) which, although hyperbole, makes the point. Keep talking with God.
Jesus’ life on earth had three essential components. First, and crucially, he used to get up early to pray to his Father. This ensured that his ministry was in sync with his Father’s plans. Second, Jesus used to retreat with his disciples in order to teach and encourage. Third, Jesus and his team went out and ministered to a needy and broken world. So, to summarise: Jesus had alone time, discipleship time and ministry time… and we need the same.
What is the ‘unploughed ground’ in your life, the areas of your life that could be fruitful but are not? If you have any desire to make the barren places fruitful, then let me say, like Hosea, ‘it is time to seek the Lord’.
Prayer: Dear Father, the privilege of calling the holy God of the universe ‘Father’ is extraordinary. I treasure it, even though it is hard to comprehend. Help me not to waste a single minute of the opportunity to pray to you as Father.