time with the King

"The thing I know will give me the deepest joy
- namely to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of his presence, my heart open to worship him - is often the thing I least want to do."
~John R. W. Stott

There's this guy at church, who, whenever I talk with him, I walk away challenged, or encouraged. His passion for God is so contagious, so bold and so free that I can't help thanking God for him on my way out.

This past Sunday, he caught me at the door, and we were chatting before church started. In the course of conversation, he asked me how my week was.
"Oh, it was really good." I said.
Before I could elaborate, he asked, "So you spent time with the King then?"

So you spent time with the King then.

It was almost the condition for a good week. And as I went into church, thinking about that, I realized that even a really bad week can be good if you spend time with the King. When you do, priorities shift, minds clear, hearts settle, worries fall away and peace ensues. And the world, even though it crumbles, is in the hand of the one who made it.

His week was like that. His week was hard, but God used that to bring someone in his life to Christ. He was there, following God. Being a trembling, but obedient disciple. And the angels rejoiced. And he was rejoicing 3 days later. He spent time with the King, and though the world around him was swirling, and the flood waters were rising, he had his feet on something solid.

So you spent time with the King then?

Spend time with your King this week. Alone, and unhurried. Listening, and waiting, and yelling and screaming, and finding that he alone is the solidness under the rushing waters. He'll hold you up. And even though the world crumbles, the week will be good.