Throughout this journey I’ve spent approximately 15 years in mainstream broadcasting, and 15 years in pulpit ministry. Before heading into full-time time ministry finding quiet time for God was always a hard thing to do. I found myself challenged by Pastors who would say things like “It’s easy to find time for God. Just set the time aside in your day. If you have to, put it in your Daytimer.” The words sound easy, but follow through is often difficult.

When I went into full time ministry, finding time was of course somewhat easier. After all, now I was a paid professional to spend time with God. Suddenly it was much easier to linger a while longer at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, my Bible and a devotional book. From time to time I even found myself proclaiming what were always well-intentioned words of encouragement about “fitting time for God into the Daytimer.” But, once again, that’s always easier said than done.

A few years ago I found God re-adjusting my journey some as He put me back into the wonderful world of broadcasting. Once again, I was suddenly faced with the issue of finding time for God. Just how in the world could I fit Him into my Daytimer with everything else that was now pulling on my time. Of course these days I find myself not quite as rigid in the process of finding time for God. Brother Lawrence practiced the presence of God at all times. But even while saying that, sometimes it seems like a cop-out and an excuse for not finding some time to read a devotional book.

Through the years as I’ve found myself back in the workforce and trying to find God at work, I’ve tried a number of things. But you know what I’ve discovered, it doesn’t have to be brain surgery. There are a number of devotional books with short daily readings available these days. Some of those books I’ve actually collected along the way. For many years some have even sat and simply collected dust on my bookshelves. At least they look good I would often say to myself. But now it’s time to take them off the shelf, dust them off, and actually use them.

As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I’m reading a collection of Thomas Merton devotionals at home. Well, sitting on my desk at work I have another collection of devotionals, this one is by W.E. Sangster. He was an old Methodist preacher from England, filled with incredible insight. The daily readings are short, and suddenly it’s a little easier to pause, at least for a couple minutes, at some point during the busy day, to think on God, at least for a few moments.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus