By Todd Baughman

I don’t know about you, but I get distracted easily.  Just typing that last sentence I’m pretty sure I had about 18 new thoughts about what I could / should be doing right now.

Do you often load up your calendar and your mind with actions and ideas to the brim, and then when you have a gap you fill it with your face in your phone?

I’ve spent some time studying the rhythms of Jesus with a group of guys on my patio and it has been a game changer for many of us.  Taking intentional time to think about how we spend our time is one of the greatest long-term investments you can make.

Jesus modeled so many things for us, but one of my favorites was how he managed time.  Sure, he did a lot of incredible things, but in my mind one of the most important was how he balanced his time. 

So much we think about Jesus involves miracles, and teachings.  Those are fun to focus on, learn from, and try to live out.  But I don’t think I’ve spent enough energy learning from the rhythms of Jesus. 

Despite his incredible mission.  He spent purposeful time with a small group of friends.  He spent alone time with God.  He often stepped away from the chaos of the world around him despite the amount of work to be done and spent time with the Father.

What would it look like if we did that more often?  I can tell you that regardless of what you think about God, he thinks the world of you.  He’s there, and he’s desire is to have a real relationship with you. 

You can start right now. You don’t need to get caught up in any particular rules.  You can put down the paper (come back to it later, there’s good stuff in here), and start a conversation with God.  Ask him a couple questions, here’s some suggestions: 

How can I more closely follow you?  In what ways can I love people better?  What’s an area in my life I’m not letting you into?  Why did you send Jesus to die on the cross?  What does that mean for me?

If you just paused to ask God those questions, congratulations.  You are modeling what Jesus modeled.  If you just skipped over that part, I’d encourage you to go back and give it a try.  I’d love to hear how it goes, and God would love to hear from you.