So I’ve noticed something over the last few months as I’ve worked bivocationally at the start up of the church plant. It’s not a great revelation, full of life changing news. No angels descended from on high to deliver this to me on a honey-flavored scroll. The simple fact is this: maintaining a healthy devotional life is difficult when you’re commuting to work, making sure the kids are ready for school & dealing with what needs to happen on a day to day basis.

When I was working in a church office, setting my own schedule, it was SUPER easy to carve out intentional time every day (in the office) because it was expected and because I was able to set that time for myself.

Today, I’m sitting at the Trolley station around the corner from my house, waiting to ride to work. This is typically a good time for me, because I don’t have to drive the Trolley. But if I was driving to work, I’d have to use some sort of audio resource, but that would still feel a little shallow, it would come up a little short.

I’ve preached it before, I’ve taught it in classes, I’ve shared it over cups of coffee and it’s still true: nothing beats dedicated, concentrated time spent with the Word and some way to record those moments. We need time to chew on the Word, space to soak it in, to marinate in it so we can really listen to what is being said.

And that’s what is key, that we listen.

“Hear, O Israel!”

“He who has ears to hear (spiritually) let Him hear!”

If we’re going to use our commute time in the best way, then we need to cut our distractions down and leave that space for God to speak.

No, don’t drive and journal. That’s a bad idea. But you can pray out loud and have a convo with God over the passage you read and write down your take always at stop lights or when you get to your destination.

Listen to podcasts that echo where you are in your study time, catch a sermon on the radio if you can…just use that time well.

Even if that means you use your skateboard as a desk to create that space. Hey, it works for me. Do whatever you need to do & make the time.

You’ll never regret it.