Jean Newell, Associate Pastor, Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

Timing is everything, is it not? Ask a runner who crosses the finish line a millisecond before the second-place finisher. Ask the new parents who arrived at the hospital just in time for the baby to be born. Ask the member of a marching band about the intricacies of a half-time routine. Some days, things seem to go like clockwork, and some days, not so much!

For a long time, I was a “night owl.” It seemed my batteries “recharged” after dinner, and I was good to go for hours. That said, mornings were hard – getting the kids up and fed, fixing lunches and making sure we were all out the door and on the way to school and work on time. As a result, the best time for my daily devotions was at night once the children were in bed and the house was finally quiet.

Over the years, the timing of my devotions has changed as life and circumstances have changed. I still end my day with some quiet time with the Lord, but I’m not the night owl I was in my younger years – except on occasion. Honestly, mornings are still hard for me, but I’ve found starting my day with devotions gets my day off to a good start.

In spite of my efforts, there are days when my schedule does not go as “planned.” It’s those times I’ve discovered I need to trust God to be God; recognizing that any interruptions to my schedule could be God’s own timing – “holy moments” of God’s own making. For God’s thoughts are not my thoughts, and God’s ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8).

Whether one sets aside time for devotions before breakfast, over coffee, during a lunch break or in the quiet of the evening, it’s not so much the “when” that is important as one’s intentionality about spending time with God. Timing is everything – especially when we take time for God!