Chapter 1

I realize I'm about two to three weeks behind in blogging about the book. I'm not really sure why. I've been meaning to write for a while, but I keep making excuses. I really want to tell you guys about my trip to Jamaica, but the pictures are on my computer at work and I can't blog from work! But I'll get them for tomorrow...promise!

Tonight we discussed chapter 2 of our book, A Place of Quiet Rest, and I remembered why I love this book so much! But before we go there, let's back track a little...

Chapter 1 - A Day in the Life of the Lord

This chapter discusses Jesus's life and how he handled the people and situations that followed him everywhere. One particular day, as described in Mark 21-38, Jesus did more than most of us get done in a week (or ever??). He taught in the synagogue, cast out an evil spirit, went to his best friend's house where he had to heal his sick mother-in-law, went to the door and found an entire town of sick and demon-possessed waiting on him, and healed many of them! I'm sure he went to bed exhausted that night. And yet in verse 25 we see that the next day "very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." I wonder how much sleep he actually got that night?

If that was me, I think I would have slept in the next day. I really love sleep! Why in the world would he get up early after being awake late at night healing people?!

Keep reading...his disciples come to him, everyone is looking for him. So what does he do? He tells them "Let's go somewhere else, so I can preach. After all, this is why I came". That's pretty deep! I mean, isn't that why we're all here? To worship God and lead other people to him? But how was Jesus able to consistently love other people? On page 28, Nancy tells us "Jesus knew that any power or ability He had to minister to others was due to the fact that He was "One with the Father". He knew it was essential for Him to stay connected to His Father, for that was His source of life, joy, power, peace, and fruitfulness. He knew He had to walk in union and communion with His Father if He was to know and do His Father's will. He had no other purpose for being on this earth than to do the wil of His Father. So He had no high priority than to abide in intimate, unbroken fellowship with His Father, so that He might fulfill His Father's will".

I know sometimes it's hard to remember and believe that we are only here to do God's will. We get so caught up with life, whether that be school, work, relationships, or the interenet. Those things are good, but they shouldn't get in the way of our relationship with God and fulfilling his will.

I would just encourage us all to realize that we can't know God's will for us, if we're not in fellowship with him. Let's follow Jesus' example and make time with God our priority!

Questions to consider
1. Think about your relationship with God. How is your relationship with God right now? Do you delight in his word and presence each day? Do you go robotically about your devotional life, not really getting anything out of it? Do you have no real relationship with God whatsoever?

2. What would you like for God to do in your life? How do you think you can build a stronger relationship with the Father?