What if YOU had an Appointment with GOD?

I like to change my hair color quite a bit, so before I leave the salon I always book another appointment with my stylist.  Getting my teeth cleaned is a necessary torture, so I make that appointment every six months.  I just had an appointment to have a mammogram because I am “that age” (whatever!).

Most of us probably keep some sort of calendar so we can keep our appointments and be in the right place at the right time.  It’s important to keep our commitments, isn’t it?

What about your commitment to God? If you are a Christ-follower, then you’ve made a commitment to God.  Perhaps you’ve never thought of your faith that way, but allow me to challenge you this morning.

The Bible tells us when we make that decision to put our faith in Jesus, we become children of God.  And don’t we love to claim the right to be called children of God?  Doesn’t it make us feel incredible to call ourselves daughters of the King of Kings?

A right so powerful as to be called children of God comes with a responsibility on our part.  Our responsibility is to live our lives worthy of our calling.  (see Ephesians 4:1-3)  Making the decision to follow Jesus is a decision to commit your life to God.

God would love to help you in your daily life, but how often do you make time to let Him?  It’s often said that if it’s not in the calendar, then it doesn’t get done.  So, my challenge to you this morning is to make an appointment with God.

If you’ve never done this before, just start with choosing 3 days a week to get up 30 minutes early to talk to God, sit quietly, pray, or read your Bible.

We make appointments for all the other things in life that keep us healthy, so why not make an appointment with God?

For those of you who have tried this before and it didn’t work, or perhaps you have been slipping lately, take a look at the people in the Bible who woke up “early in the morning” to spend time with God:

• Abraham:  “Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord.” ~ Genesis 19:27
• Moses:  “Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.” ~Exodus 24:4
• Joshua:  “Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.”  ~ Joshua 6:12
• Early Christ-followers:  “And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.” ~Luke 21:38;  “Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.” ~ John 8:2
• Women following Jesus:  “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.” ~ Luke 24:22-23

The people God used in a mighty and powerful way woke up early in the morning to be with the Lord.  I want to be a woman who can be used by God in a mighty and powerful way!

Finally, my favorite motivation for setting my alarm to get up “early in the morning” is Jesus Himself:

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” ~ Mark 1:35

Think about it: Jesus WAS God.  If He had to talk to the Father before He started His day, then how much more do I need that time with the Father?

If you could actually make an appointment with God, and see Him face to face, would you ever be too tired or too busy to keep that appointment?  Wouldn’t you move everything in your life around so that you could pull up a chair and talk to God?

I don’t have my usual “3 Ideas” here because this is a discipline, pure and simple.  You just have to do it.  Set your alarm earlier, and then if you’re like me, you have to resist the urge to “snooze!”

If you are disciplined in this way, will you please share some God-moments with us?  Will you please share how you overcame the struggle to sleep?  Post some motivation here for those who need some encouragement to make time for God in the morning!