Today I stood outside in the snow

I used to use my journals for....well, for journaling. As a space to write and refect on my thoughts, my prayers, what I was feeling and what I was hearing God say to me. 

At some point I bgan using my journal as a space to record what I had done throughout the day. After all, Wesley's first rule for the Methodist preachers was, "Be diligent. Never be unemployed a moment. Never be triflingly employed. Never while away time; neither spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary."

I had had days where at the end of them I would look back and think, what did I accomplish today? So, having a journal space to record my doings seemed like a good thing. And as I looked back on my last month of entrys, I can justifiably say that I was very busy, and at least somewhat productive. I attended meetings, both in my church and in the Conference. I led devotions, met with community leaders, prepared worships services, made 29 contacts in the last 6 weeks, in person and over the phone. And, I think I wrote and preached some pretty good sermons, too. 

And so in the midst of my productive busyness Jesus spoke to me in my morning Scripture reading and said, "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33)

And so when I write down my activities for today in my journal, it will simply read:

Jan 16, 2022- I stood outside in the snow. 

That's what I did today, I tilted my head back. I closed my eyes. I felt the snow falling onto my face, cold and wet. I opened my eyes and saw the flakes flurrying down, tiny clean drops from the clouds, a gift from heaven. Usually snow is an incovenience to me, it prevents getting things done. Today it even prevented in person worship at Gate City UMC. But it didn't stop my worship today. That worship happpened outside while was standing in the snow. And I heard God today. 
"Seek me first, Michael. Fill yourself with My Presence, so that you can do the things I need you to do. Your worth is in your being, not in your doing. So, seek Me first."

I am sure that I will still keep a record of what I am doing, what I am working on, who I meet with. But the reason for this will not be to see a sense of accomplishment, or validation. But rather to be reflect on how, and if, through these activities/meetings/visits, I was seeking God first, and what did I hear Him say to me today. 

There are other ways that I know I can seek God first other than standing in my front yard while it's snowing with my eyes closed and head tilted back. But at least for today, that's what I needed.