An Abundant Place

It’s a New Year, and many of us are setting goals and attempting new undertakings. This year, as I continue to have a daily commitment time with God, I decided to use devotionals or books to help with my time, so that I could not just acquire more knowledge, but to have a fresh perspective on scripture. As I was looking for a devotional, I discovered that two people that have mentored me in my writing wrote a devotional about finding God in the noise of our lives, as we discover our own abundant place. I bought it, and the excellence of An Abundant Place is beyond words. 

When it comes to published devotionals, I’m finicky. As a Bible College graduate and a seminary graduate, I appreciate new perspectives on scripture, not retold jokes or stories that I’ve heard or have used, which is why I have appreciated the devotional, An Abundant Place by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. They bring a fresh perspective to scripture as they use their own experiences, along with a new understanding of the passage that I may not have considered with an understanding 

For me, having my own time with God living in the city comes with noise. In fact, I surround myself with noise. As I write this, music is playing in the background, and yet I can hear birds chirping outside my window, along with trucks and cars zooming down the street.  I must hear God through the noise. I can make the excuse that it’s too noisy to have a quiet time with God, or I can create a place of quiet in my head for time with God.

I must make the choice to worship God, even if the noise refuses to stop. “God has given me an abundance of opportunities to worship Him. I just need to quiet the noise and pay attention to what he has already provided.” (Lipp, page 42) Worshipping God depends on my attitude, not on what is occurring around me. If I do not like the style of music, then my grumbling is the noise that is stopping me from worshipping God, not the music. If I am frustrated with the distractions and interruptions, then maybe I need to see those distractions and interruptions as God trying to speak to me. Maybe that small child’s voice is what I need to hear. 

So, I’m starting my year with this devotional, in which I can also write down thoughts and notes and will be able to see worshipping God with abundance throughout the entire New Year. Our time with God is precious. Our worship is precious. We must make the most of every opportunity to reveal to God our devotion and love to him. No matter what church we attend, what the worship music is like, or how many people are in the church, may we take ownership of our worship to God. It’s a New Year, and a year, in which we can commit to a change. If we change our perspective on how we worship and our frame of mind of worship, we will be able to worship God as he deserves. Let us worship him with an abundant mind as we join Him in An Abundant Place.