Nearer, my God, to Thee...

One of the challenges that I continue to face as a stay-at-home mom is finding adequate time for Bible study and prayer. Honestly, I thought that sort of thing was a pretty tough challenge BEFORE I had kids, and now, well, it seems almost impossible to have daily "quiet time." Who am I kidding? It is impossible to have daily quiet time - but it'd be nice if I could at least manage a little time for study and prayer in spite of the non-quiet around me!

Over the past two and half years, I have made lots of different attempts to carve out that time, and the only successful tack I've found is to steal moments whenever they may arise. For me, that is neither a routine nor even a daily occurrence (although I dearly wish it were). Sometimes, it's not even an every-other-daily thing... and I find it really easy to get down on myself about that. (I'm guessing I'm not alone in this struggle.)

This past Sunday morning during worship, Luke was snuggled up in my arms as we stood to sing one of those really good praise songs. It's difficult for me to sing those songs without my thoughts being drawn to Heaven. I can't help imagine, in those moments, that we're praising God in Eternity with the angels and the elders and all the other crazy inhabitants of Heaven, along with all the saints and loved ones around us. And as I envisioned that wonderful day when "we've no less days to praise," it suddenly occurred to me that -- as incredible as that day will be -- I probably won't have the joy of this little boy snuggled up in my arms. As far as I can tell, that is a pleasure reserved for Earth. I wondered if, in those moments of Eternity, I'll remember the weight and warmth of his small body against mine? I hope so. And I pray that his heavenly body will be there beside me in the throng!

As these thoughts occurred to me, "my soul welled up with hallelujahs," as that old Kathy Troccoli song goes, and I began thanking the Lord specifically for these blessings. That's when it dawned on me that even though I have not met Him regularly in preordained Study Time, the Lord is near! There have been times in my life when I truly was far from God, but this just isn't one of them - and it isn't really because of any major effort on my part. Rather, my smallest, mustard-seed moments of desiring relationship with the Lord is all He needs to make a connection with me. Hallelujah!