Shortcuts can get you lost..

We once took a shortcut across a mountain in Colorado.. This was back before the days of GPS, and while vacationing in Colorado along with my wife and kids my wife pulled out the good ol' paper map and found a 'shortcut' that would cut off miles on our quest to reach the Royal Gorge.  
Well, we ended up Royal Lost driving where a minivan passed sherpas, mountain goats, and the body of George Mallory until we back tracked to civilization. 
So I believe our 'shortcut' took us an extra 1 1/2 half hours to reach the 'Royal Hole in the Ground'. So lesson learned is beware of things called 'short cuts' when driving to the Royal Gorge or if choosing to use CliffsNotes for Intimacy with God.

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I am learning again the problem of FITTING GOD IN rather than making time with Him a priority.  This scheduled time does not discount the importance of communing with him through out the day but by making time for prayer and devotions in the morning as a discipline I believe shows Him respect and a time that God honors.
God did not honor Cain's shortcut sacrifice back in Genesis when he showed up with a lovely garden salad and neither does He want us to take shortcuts in honoring God with our time, and our worship.  
My point is making time with God a priority is God honoring.

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I don't have the magic formula for intimacy with God, but my prayer is that we all take time to make time with God in prayers and devotions.  It does not have to be in the morning or any specific length of time.  It does not have to be a bible study but it needs to be in my mind a time of reading, reflection and prayer.  How else could we dream of tapping into any glimpse of the Almighty God without quiet moments alone pursuing him.
I believe God will honor and grow these efforts and make our relationship with the creator of this world more personal and pleasing.
Truth be told I continue to be a work in progress regarding this important discipline in my life. BUT.. I KNOW the difference it makes in my day when I take the time to be with God EVEN WHEN life is crazy busy.

Blessings,  Jeff (Back Pew) Larson

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