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Last weekend the Mathews family was lying around on the couch having an impromptu family-meeting-bible-reading-prayer-time. These summits don’t happen nearly as often as they ought since our schedule is just as crammed as yours. We were all six slouched and comfortable on the couch—a big tan sectional that has room to fit feet and all of the first three people who sit down, plus the hind ends of the three unfortunate souls who valued their previous engagement more than a stretched out position on the couch.

After reading a few pieces from the Bible, Scott, the four Mathews Brothers, and I were having a mellow, vague agenda chat discussing the vast array of items for which we wanted to pray—a great football season for one, a painless summer school for another, a restful vacation for mom—you get the picture.

Then we get this loud knock on the door. Really loud. Our first instinct was not to answer. But we remembered this neighbor girl who doesn’t take not-coming-to-the-door-and-not-available for an answer. We knew that if it was her, she would knock every 30 seconds for at least five minutes. And since both cars were home, we thought she might knock indefinitely, greatly diminishing our ability to focus on our prayer time.

Scott and I gave the nod that it was okay to answer the door, and three of the four boys virtually evaporated from the couch and reappeared at the front door. They opened it and were sucked into the outside world with the door slamming behind them.

We were having such a nice time together! How could they have gotten so side-tracked so quickly?

It’s a question I asked myself when my school year ended a few weeks ago, and I finally got my prayer journal out. I had only written in it four times this year?! That couldn’t be true. I enjoy it so much. God and I always have such a good time! How could too many papers to grade, or too much baseball, or a knock at the door have distracted me so quickly?

Seconds later, the three escaped Mathews Brothers came back in the house and re-snuggled into the couch. The chance to go outside had not superseded the chance to go before God.

Deuteronomy 4:7-40 describes the need to stay near to God, bring my children near to God, and not let sin and the world distract me from such:

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?... Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.. Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you…For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. …Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.

So if the doorbell rings or the bills beckon or work tries to overwhelm you, don’t forget that the most important thing we can do is be near to God and teach our children to come with us.

(Note: While I have edited out some of the previous passage from Deuteronomy 4, I believe I have stayed true to the intent of the passage. You should read the whole chapter:)

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Washed by the Water of the Word