Take the ABIDE! Challenge

What is the ABIDE! Challenge? 
It is a personal commitment to spend at least one hour with God every day for one week.

What is to be done in that one hour? 
That is up to you and God.  All I would say is that it should involve worship, prayer and time in God's Word.  How much time in that hour each part gets is up to you.

Is there something special about one hour?
Not in and of itself.  However, as with any relationship, it's not just quality time that is needed to develop depth in the relationship, there must also be quantity of time.  Spending ten minutes with God is good, but it will not bring the level of depth with Him that comes from an hour with Him. 

This is not a legalistic game of trying to earn something or prove anything.  This is just our expression of a desire to come away from the world and spend time alone with God. 

What comes after the seven days?
After spending at least one hour with God every day for seven days in a row, I believe the next step is natural.  Take the ABIDE! Challenge again!  Take the next seven days and spend at least one hour alone with Him daily. 

So, why not just issue an ongoing challenge?
I have found that we are really good about starting things, but not ending things quite as well.  Experience tells me that challenging us to start spending one hour with God every day will bring people gung-ho for the task.  Half-way through the first week, half of those people will drop off.  After a week, half of the remaining people will fall off.  By the end of the second week, almost nobody, if anyone, will remain.  Don't worry about spending an hour with God every day for the rest of your life.  Take the next seven days.  If you can't keep the commitment, start over and try again.  Take it one week at a time, one day at a time. 

I am inviting you to join me starting Monday, November 8, 2010 to take seven days to spend at least one hour with God every day.  So, take the next few days and "count the cost."  What changes will need to happen to make room in your schedule to spend an hour with God every day? 

If you are up for the challenge, would you do me two favors?  First, let me know that you are taking the challenge so I can pray for you.  Second, at the end of the seven days, let me know how it went and if you will be taking the challenge into a second week.

Please contact me at abideministries@yahoo.com.

May God bless you as you seek Him daily!