One number. Line. Two numbers. Line. Two numbers.
I hesitated before I drew the box. I hadn’t chosen a Biblical chapter yet. Both paths felt like dead ends. Option One had lofty words about children and enemies and dominion. Option Two had a stale plot line that prevented me from getting to the good stuff. I could skip ahead in either option. But isn’t that cheating? Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s cheating.
Without the pressure of a looming school day, isn’t my morning time supposed to be better? Even more meaningful? I tapped the notebook in frustration. Forget it. I’ll do neither. I’ll just have devotions later.
The sun rose and it set. Hours later, I climbed into the comfiest bed in the house, cued up my story, closed my eyes and……remembered.
Oh yeah. Bible study.
I don’t feel like it, and I know Jesus loves me either way. But…. I need it.
Still, that blank notebook haunted me. I see nothing here! I see nothing to write, nothing to study, nothing that speaks to me. I rolled over, grabbed my phone, opened the ubiquitous brown Bible app. Luke 6.
I read. Slowly. Vs 26 hits me. Such slow-to-die people pleasing desires. Vs 27. Love them Lord? That person? I want to talk to You about that, Jesus, because I…
Oh wait.
Wait.
Wait.
Devotions. Morning worship. The point isn’t a dissected verse, is it? It’s not me pulling out a profound thought with clever articulation? It’s not filling half a page with exegetical observations, clearly breaking down the passage correctly? Those are fine, but that’s not like….the point?
No. The point is devotion. To Jesus. The point is to worship. Jesus. Worshipping Him through the expansive praise of Psalm 8 (Option One). Devoting myself to Him as I witness the lifelong devotion of Samuel in 1 Samuel 12 (Option Two). I don’t have clever insights or pithy statements from either of those chapters. But I can worship Jesus in response to them.
Morning worship can include a lot of things, many of them are good, great even. But remember the goal is worship. Just worship.
hi there, fellow sapling 