Linger Near

Yes, I know Christmas is over but one look at my kitchen table you will see lingering sights of holiday past – a few things yet to be completed.  If you examine your spiritual checklist, we all will see lingering – yet undone – things in our life God has yet to bring to His completion.  The holiday season may be crowned the most wonderful time of the year but what I've found to be true [in my spiritual life] is the demands of the season often brings out the worst in me.  It is very difficult indeed to "Be still and know that I am God" when we have no designated time to be still.  Being still means cease from striving, and most of us fill our lives with so much there's no time to cease doing anything; in our minds when we cease, we are unproductive.  Scripture tells us Jesus Himself – the Son of God, Perfect in all His nature and ways – slipped away for alone-time to talk with The Father: "But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray." (Luke 5:16).  Maybe there are so many lingering things because we do not linger – remain, delay – alone with Christ.    It's good to consider this in the New Year: do you linger near the Savior?