Jessie Fioritto - Unhurried: Devotions and Prayers for Savoring Quiet Time with God

2018 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-68322-599-7

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-68322-574-4
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (prc.) 978-1-68322-573-7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

Churches and other noncommercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of Barbour Publishing, provided that the text does not exceed 500 words or 5 percent of the entire book, whichever is less, and that the text is not material quoted from another publisher. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: From Unhurried: Devotions & Prayers for Savoring Quiet Time with God, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the H OLY B IBLE , N EW I NTERNATIONAL
V ERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by
permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published by Barbour Books, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour
Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com.

Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

Printed in China.

Introduction

Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.

J EREMIAH 6:16 NKJV

Are you exhausted by the crush of life? Do you question whether there is real meaning behind all this activity?

Take a moment to breathe. Step out from under the pressure to accumulate and to perform, and enter into the abundant life God meant you to live. Your life may not look like what you imagined, or even what you thought you wanted. So pause in the middle of your hectic rat race and ask for the good way. Trek down ancient paths hand in hand with your Creator. Not only will you find rest for your careworn soul, but He will take you deeper than you ever thought you could go and teach you what you didnt know you needed to learn.

Choosing this road brings trials. Youll be tested, and youll learn to abandon yourself to Jesus. He doesnt offer a spa-day life, but falling for Jesus is the adventure youve longed for. And the journey promises fulfillment, soul rest, and eternal rewardan incorruptible crown. So surrender your life of burnout and frazzled nerves. Slow the chase for self-fulfilling desires, and simply abide in Jesus. Invite Him to change the way you think.

Unhurried doesnt have to mean unbusy. Remember that someone who always made time for you? Be that person with God. Open yourself to His spectacular, one-of-a-kind plan for you.

Fall for Him

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

M ARK 1:35

Early morningwhen the day is pregnant with possibility. The sun has yet to lift her face fully above the horizon, the grass weeps in joy for the new day, and the birds cheer its coming. Genesis says that God walked in the garden of Eden in the cool of the day (3:8). Maybe it was morning. Its reminiscent of the scene in Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth rises early and walks in the dim, predawn mist. She looks up as Darcy strides purposefully toward her through the dew-laden grass. She waits for him. And he meets her, pressing his forehead to hers as the sun breaks the plane where heaven touches earth, transfiguring them in golden radiance. You, too, can relish the practice of welcoming the day in the embrace of the lover of your soul.

Many of Gods servants abandoned their beds to meet with Him in the early hours of the day. Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the L ORD (Genesis 19:27). Scripture records that Moses, Joshua, Hannah, Samuel, David, Job, Mary, and the apostles all rose early to fellowship and deal in the business of God. (See Exodus 24:4; Joshua 6:12; 1 Samuel 1:19; 15:12; 17:20; Job 1:5; Luke 24:22; Acts 5:21.) Jesus also rose early to pray and often sought solitary places to be alone with His Father.

But theres a reason so many of us brandish coffee mugs that warn I dont do mornings. So what mysterious draw compelled these men and women to forfeit warmth and sleep to seek God? With the example of our Lord and so many heroes of faith before us, why do we too often fail to pull ourselves from the comfort of our beds for a few quiet moments with God?

The answer lies in relationship. Its difficult to be motivated by the cold promise of a checklist when compared to the warm embrace of a loved one. Elizabeth awaited her only love as the fog hung low over the fields. Quiet time isnt about studying a book. Jesus delights in us and cant get enough of our presence. He is waiting to soothe us and sing to us in joy (Zephaniah 3:17). Sounds a lot like falling in love, doesnt it? So rise up early in the morning. Find a secret place and fall madly in love with Jesus.

Jesus, lover of my soul, my friend. Meet me early. I want to be with You, worship You, and go away marked by Your glory. Amen.

Prince of Peace

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

J OHN 16:33

Have you ever engaged in a little Dumpster diving on trash day? Come on, admit it. Perhaps you found a discarded gem left by the roadside for the takingan antique piece of furniture with great potential or an old bike. You saw its value and snatched it up.

Peace of mindalthough it holds incomparable worth, no currency can purchase it. We amass fortunes, yet our bodies are bankrupted by incurable diseases, our minds impoverished by anxiety. Like an original Da Vinci orphaned on the garbage-day curb, the sacred ground of our inner being is often left unprotectedunguarded and vulnerable. Our fragile state of mind is strafed by the enemy fire of outside circumstances while our own Judas thoughts engage in the demoralizing saturation bombing of negative self-talk.