Life is busy. If we are not careful, it is easy to give our time and attention to the urgent rather than the important. Urgent things demand our immediate attention, while important things support our underlying values and purpose. As a pastor I learned that the most important thing is to maintain a consistent relationship with the Lord. The Lord once spoke to me, “Don’t forget that I must be the center of everything that is going on.” It’s all about Him. Don’t lose the closeness and the intimacy with Him. All of the urgent matters shouting to you become meaningless if He is not the center of it all.

It is so easy to have other things, even good things, occupy our time and interfere with the intimacy, but there is nothing in our day that will take priority over our relationship with Jesus. I am not talking about a legalistic practice of Christian devotions, where you feel guilt and condemnation if you haven’t spent your 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 3 hours with Him. Devotional time isn’t a duty. It is the privilege of love. I want intimacy with Jesus more than I want anything else in life. We must recognize the importance of prioritizing Jesus. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). We can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). As a pastor, I learned that if we want success in the busyness of life, we must abide in Jesus.

There are various ways to invest in your relationship with Jesus. Here are a few simple practices that have served me well.

·       Read the scripture every morning. Jesus prioritized the Word over his daily bread, and we should as well. God’s word is our source of life. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).

·       Read a devotional. Some people have a favorite devotional they read. I read various things. It can be something simple such as Streams in the Desert or The Way. It can also be a devotional from a favorite preacher such as Heidi Baker or Charles Swindoll. Devotionals help us “set [our] minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2).

·       Journal. Take time to write down what the Lord is saying. Habakkuk was instructed to “Write down the revelation and make it plain…” (Habakkuk 2:2). The Word of God is living and active. We read a scripture one time and get a revelation. The next time we read it, the Lord will reveal something different. Writing what the Lord speaks helps simplify our thoughts and creates a record of our ongoing relationship. Many of my messages came out of this practice.

·       Find a good study Bible. A study Bible can offer scriptural and historical insights, devotional thoughts, and even a place to journal. A study Bible can help bring insights and revelation to our devotional time. It can help us slow down our Bible reading and take the time to study and simmer on the passages. “Blessed is the man [whose] . . . delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Ps 1:2).

·       Pray. Almost every morning I spend time in prayer.  I have a prayer list, including the people I am praying for, but prayer is so much more than that list. It is a time of reflection, a time to simply be with Jesus. You can find a prayer model to help guide you. I used to pray through the Lord’s prayer, following Larry Lea’s model. I also love to pray through the names of God, reflecting on who He has revealed Himself to be.

Devotional times look different for different people. Find what works for you, and make it a priority in your day. Keeping intimacy with the Lord takes time, but it is time well spent. It is the foundation on which our lives are built. Intimacy with the Lord cleanses and protects the soul. From this place of wholeness, we can acknowledge the urgent shouts and focus on the things that are most important. We find out what He likes and what He is doing, and then we partner with Him in that.