Have you ever wanted to slap someone upside the head? I wanted to do that to myself earlier this week. We drove to one of my favorite places in Nashville—Radnor Lake—and met our son and his family there for a hike. I’d taken my camera with me two weeks earlier when we visited, but it rained before we’d walked far, and I didn’t get many good shots. This week, just before we pulled into the parking lot, I groaned. I’d forgotten to bring my camera. I didn’t take the time to plan well for our outing.
While we walked, we found many photo opportunities, but I needed to use my cell phone. I knew my pictures would not look good. We saw deer, squirrels, turtles, ducks, geese, a turkey, and a chipmunk. That’s not all. One of our favorite sightings was a bald eagle perched high in the branches across the lake. Without my zoom lens, I had no possibility of taking a quality photo.
Toward the end of our hike, I mentioned that there were owls in the woods, although I’d never seen one. Within five minutes, my son spotted an owl in a tree about twenty feet away.
Twenty feet! And me without a camera! Why didn’t I think about that before I left the house? How could I forget something so important to me?
Do you ever do that? Do you forget things that are important to you too?
As I get older, I forget things more often. On mornings when my routine changes, I sometimes forget to have my quiet time with God. I focus on getting out the door and later realize that I skipped my time with Him. Time missed for prayer, to read and study His Word, and to thank Him for His blessings. On those occasions, I make time later in the day, but I prefer to start my day in communion with Him.
I love those special moments of quietness in the morning when I lean upon Him and find comfort in His Word. As situations arise throughout my day or I read of someone’s difficulties on social media, I’m ready to go to prayer for them because I’ve already spent time with Him.
Remembering to take my camera when I go hiking is important to me. But remembering to spend time with the Lord brings greater benefits for myself and others. I hope I never make a habit of forgetting to take the time for those special moments with Him.
I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.
Psalm 119:16, NLT
The best I could do with my cell phone.