Just Checking-In

Have you ever been so busy that you forgot to check-in with your spouse? I know what that’s like. There are times in ministry when I may be with a family at a hospital or making a death call or doing other ministry stuff that sometimes I just forget to check-in with my wife. It’s not the wisest of things to do. Not that my wife has ever hindered me from performing ministry duties; in fact, she has been such a great support to me through the years and continues to be there for me.

What about ministry? Sometimes I don’t check-in with my ministry assistant like I should. There are days that I am going to a conference, or preaching somewhere and I just forget to check-in with her to let her know what my schedule is that day. She’s really great at keeping my calendar for me so I know what’s coming up and what I’m supposed to doing that day or week or month.

I’m also attending seminary classes right now. That’s right…even in seminary I forget to check-in with professors concerning assignments and my schedule as a full-time vocational minister. Sad to say, but sometimes I turn in my work late but there’s always a good reason for it…somewhere…somewhere there’s a good reason! Then after the assignment is late I think about checking-in with the professor.

What about checking-in with the Lord? There was a song that Larnelle Harris used to sing and I was always so moved by it. “I miss My time with you / those moments together…” The song was as if God was speaking to me personally. Those days that I wouldn’t check-in with Him. That song to this day reminds me to do just that. To spend time with the Lord is essential in a Christian’s life. To grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ is vitally important and we do this by checking-in with Him and by spending that time with Him.

Busyness is a killer. As a thief in the night it steals the joy out of living. Our calendars are chocked full of stuff. Stuff gets in the way of living. We busy ourselves to the point of exhaustion. And when exhaustion sets in then all sorts of excuses to check-in with God set in too. Read what Jesus says about all of this:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. (John 15:1-11)

Did you get the idea that Jesus Christ wants us to abide in Him? In abiding in Him we will be more centrally focused on doing that which He has called us to do. Our calendars will change to be filled with doing the good works which God in Christ Jesus has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

Let me encourage you to consider your day. Check-in with the Lord by reading His Word and spending some time praying and seeking the Lord. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how blessed you will be when just check-in and spend time with the One who saves — Jesus Christ.