The In My Dorm Writing Space

— Written by Rex Trent

Judges 6:22–26

Sometimes in our lives it can feel like we’re moving a million miles an hour, with no room for breaks. Classes, jobs, and responsibilities begin to pile up. In moments like that, it’s easy to feel inadequate before God, or to feel like we simply don’t have enough time for Him. The busyness of the day leaves us in our rooms at midnight with little time for Bible study, so the habitual response is to forget about it and go to sleep, assuming that such a short amount of time wouldn’t be valuable anyway.

As a result, modern Christian culture often emphasizes long, extensive, intentional moments with God—worship nights, hours of prayer, or Sunday morning church. Without realizing it, we can begin to see short moments with God as useless. Slowly, we start to believe that what we have to offer Him in our everyday lives just isn’t enough.

That notion, however, is repeatedly challenged throughout Scripture. We see over and over again a God who meets us where we are and receives what we have. Consider the widow’s offering in the Gospels. The widow who gave two small copper coins was commended, not because of the amount, but because it was all she had. God accepts what we have, not what we wish we had.

In the Old Testament, before the establishment of the temple, Israel was considered nomadic. Worship happened wherever God appeared, so portable and improvised altars were necessary. One especially intriguing example is Gideon’s altar in Judges. Gideon builds an altar where he is, using his father’s ox, and even burns wood taken from a pagan altar. The idea that God demands perfection in our offerings of prayer and worship quickly fades when we see this story. The belief that God only desires hours of Bible reading crumbles when we encounter a God who accepts a homemade altar.

While there were necessary times for the establishment of the permanent temple—worship nights, hours of prayer, and Sunday morning church—there were also necessary times for a spontaneous altar: ten minutes of prayer before bed.

Gideon’s story may seem easy to skim over, but upon closer examination, it reveals a beautiful picture of God’s merciful desire for relationship with His people. It shows that no matter what stage of life we’re in, no matter how busy or chaotic things become, we will always have enough for God. My prayer is that we would understand this truth and grow closer to our loving Father, whose grace is sufficient.

Prayer

God, I come to You humbly in prayer. Sometimes my life feels so busy that I feel like I don’t have enough time for You. Thank You for meeting me where I am and for accepting what I have. Help me to prioritize You and to be in awe of You in every moment, even in such a secular world. Teach me to treat everyday life as an opportunity to connect with You and to seek You always. Help me to be sensitive to Your Spirit, and help me grow closer to You all the days of my life.

In Jesus’ name, amen.