Focus on the Family Magazine - June/July 2023

FAITH & INSPIRATION / QUIET TIME
Of course, at the time I didn’t know
that this device would become a distraction,
keeping me from fully being
present with my family and the Lord.
With all the ringing and dinging
and interacting with family and friends,
connecting with the Lord became
more of a struggle. Often, I found
myself reaching over my Bible for my
phone first thing in the morning. Even
when I intentionally opened my Bible
app, I became unintentionally distracted
by notifications.
Now, more than a decade later,
I find I’m not alone in this struggle.
Many Bible-believing moms are not
Bible-reading moms. Distractions,
exhaustion, laziness and even hopelessness
threaten our faithfulness and
leave us feeling helpless.
I’ve since regained a rhythm to my
mornings and realigned my priorities
using three simple ways to become a
Bible-reading mom once again.
Seek God first
Many parents struggle with seeking the
Lord first thing in the morning because
their children always seem to rise
before they do. There’s a Scripture that
speaks of bringing God “the best of
the firstfruits of your ground” (Exodus
34:26). While this verse is about offering
God the produce of the land, I love
the application to our busy lives.
When we offer God the firstfruits,
or earliest moments, of each day, we
are telling Him that we trust Him to
guide us through our entire day. As a
result, we parent our kids more like our
heavenly Father parents us, with the
fruit of His Spirit on display in our lives.
You may not be able to offer God
the first moments of your day if you
have little ones requiring your attention.
But as soon as you’ve taken care
of your children’s needs and have a
few moments of your own, offer those
moments to the Lord.
“The Word before the world” has
become my morning motto. Before I
engage the world online, I make sure
I’ve opened myself up to the One who
made the world and set me very purposefully
in it.
In Matthew 6:33, Jesus invites us
to “seek first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness, and all these things
will be added to you.” I like to think of
it this way: Seek God first, and everything
else will fall into its rightful place.
Unfortunately, when we turn our
attention to other things first, our affection
for Christ falls from first place to
a distant second. Whether your phone
or your friends or your morning trip to
Starbucks is tempting you to veer
off course, commit to keeping
God first in your life.
Snack on God’s Word
throughout the day
As a parent, you’re probably wonderful
at packing crackers and sippy cups
when you’re on the go with your children.
Consider bringing God’s Word
with you as well. If a verse or passage
resonates with you during your morning
Bible reading, jot it on a note card
and tuck it in your pocket or purse, or
highlight it in your Bible app, and then
meditate on it throughout the day.
Another way to recall God’s Word is
listening to an audio Bible while you’re
driving or doing chores. You can pause
it when you’re interrupted, and even if
you listen only a few minutes each day,
those moments will be well spent.
Reading and rereading Scripture
shapes not only our lives but also the
lives of our children as they watch us
and learn from us. Modeling a love for
God’s Word is one of the most powerful
things we can do in our homes.
Then as our children grow, we want to
invite them into God’s Word with us.
CREDIT TK
42 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA JUNE / JULY 2023