5 years ago I made a new years resolution.  I never make new years resolutions, because I can never seem to keep this one.  But this one was different.  It was more like a resolution to Jesus.  I made a promise to make Him a priority in my life and read the Bible through in a year to get to know Him better.  I was committed, I was determined, and I asked you guys to join in with me.  And guess what?  With accountability from all of you, knowing we were doing this together, I did it!  And I saw for the first time at the age of 36 that God is so loving and not just scary.  He is so merciful and not just to be feared.  He is so patient and kind, and desires us to know Him, and my outlook on who God is totally and completely shifted.  Because so many of us spend time in the New Testament and focus only on Jesus that we miss out on the greatest love of all, the one of a Father who gave up his only son because he so desired to spend eternity with US! 

 It was life changing, so much so that I did it again, and again, and again!  I just finished my last read through the Bible in June and it got me through some of my hardest times.  It was the peace I needed in an uncertain world, it was the joy I needed to have when everything looked dark, and it was the ultimate truth when I didn't know what to believe.  It was and is my rock and my foundation, something you can't find anywhere else.  When I finished in June I told myself I am going to take  a little break.  I wanted time to study other parts of the Bible. I wanted to read other books about the Bible.  And although I did that a bit, I realized how much I need to have a habit and a pattern to be in the Word everyday.  I missed it.  I felt myself losing momentum and I felt myself not being as intentional and bold in my faith.  And it was a wake up call. 

It made me think of the parable of the 10 virgins.  5 of them were ready with oil in their lamps waiting for the bridegroom and 5 of them had lamps, but the oil was gone.  And by the time they went to fill them and come back they missed the party.  They were too late.  We don't know the day or the hour Jesus will return.  We do know when our last day on this earth will be. Everything can change in a second, and all we know is we need to be ready at any moment to meet our Lord and Savior.  To have confidence that our lamps are full.  To know for certainty where we go when we will die.

So many of us think we have more time.  We will get serious about it ONE day.  When we are less busy, when we face serious struggles, when we need God.  Why is it so hard to commit 15 minutes a day to prioritizing being in the Word when we can spend hours scrolling.  It's because it's the last thing the enemy wants us to do.  He wants us to think we don't have the time.  He wants us to be distracted and think other things are more important.  And the reality is, your kids seeing you in the Word, your family seeing the shift in you as you learn more about God, your faith growing stronger as God shows up because you are seeking Him, that is what scares the enemy.  And thats exactly what we need to prioritze.