I'm still alive...

I've been MIA for a really long time now.  Sorry.  I'll attempt to give you some somewhat legit excuses...

My life has been extremely hectic of late.  I moved recently (can't say where or why, sorry) and haven't yet gotten settled.  School starts tomorrow, and since I changed schools, I'm not totally sure what to expect.  I think it's going to be pretty intense, but... I'm hoping it'll be reasonable so I can still have a life. 

Because of this sudden spike in activity, I've been thinking about priorities.  It can be so easy to forget what order our priorities should be in when we're involved in ten billion things that are all vying for our attention.  God may be a priority at first, but like most things that require faith, He often slips unnoticed to the back of our minds. 

For me, anyway, it isn't that I don't like spending time with God or that I am purposely placing God in a lesser position than He should occupy.  It's that there are so many other responsibilities and activities out there, and most of them are visible and tangible, so it's easier for me to remember them. 

This fact, however, doesn't make forgetting God any less wrong.  God will still be God, whether we remember Him or not.  He doesn't stop demanding our worship when we forget Him.  Everything around us in creation shows His handiwork.  This amazing God we worship is the Creator of the entire universe!  We're incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to worship Him, and unfortunately, it's all too easy to lose sight of that.  Creation may cry out for us to worship God, but we don't always have eyes to see or ears to hear. 

Thus, I want to encourage you all--and sternly remind myself--to not be too busy for God.  He is, after all, the One who created us and gave us life and health and freedom and joy... and, yes, suffering and sickness and persecution and sadness.  Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things for our good, even when we don't see it.  This is all the more reason never to forget Him.  He'll always, always care for us, no matter what we do, so when we forget Him, we are essentially throwing His love for us back in His face. 

This year, let's not forget God.  Every time we go outside and see His beautiful creation, let's glory in the fact that we worship the only God who could create something so astounding.  Every time we draw a breath, let's thank Him for creating oxygen so we can stay alive.  God's creation all but shouts His power and beauty.  Let's never cease to give Him praise for it.

----------

Psalm 19 (ESV)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.