SUM 11: Day 32

Hebrews 4:16 and James 4:8

Refuel: Make a Connection. Taking time to pause and refresh by reading Scripture and
praying is a necessary component of our Christian walk. Even though this is such a beautiful act, it is possible for “refueling” to become an idol in our lives. We can easily begin to focus on checking off devotions on our daily to-do list and completely miss the Creator, who is desperate for intimacy with us. It is important to remember that God aches for a one-to-one relationship with us, which is why He sent Christ to sacrifice Himself in order to clear the way for communication with a living God. We now have the freedom to continually experience connection with our Father! Through these interactions, we will be refueled; however, God’s primary concern is for us to simply seek Him in all things we do.

Read: Hebrews 4:16 and James 4:8.

Pray: Thank the Lord for the sacrifice He made so you could communicate freely with Him. Ask Him to stir within you a desire to draw near to Him—not because of what He does, but simply because of who He is.

Do: Spend time thinking about what it would look like if God would physically walk through life with you. Would you tell Him about school? Would you ask for His advice? Would you hug Him? He longs for these types of interactions, even though He may not be physically present. Involve Him in your day-to-day and be excited—
He will draw near!

SUM 11: Day 31

1 Kings 19:9-13

Refuel: Be Quiet. “In the secret, in the quiet place/In the stillness You are there/In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait only for You/Cause I want to know You more.”

Oftentimes, Christians proclaim they long to know God more; however, His methods of communication do not typically align with our comfort zones. In our culture, silence is an intimidating thing. We are surrounded by noises and often try to create more in order to avoid uncomfortable moments. Yet, we sing about longing to know God
more, linking that to stillness and quiet. Being immersed in silence provides
us with the necessary environment to listen. God designed prayer to be a dialogue, yet we have often forced Him out of the equation by creating epic monologues. He wants to talk with us! We must trust that He does, and we must be willing to seek Him in a quiet place so we are more than ready to listen. This is more than just finding a noiseless corner in your home; we also have constant internal noises (worries, selfish desires, thoughts about the day, etc.) that compete with God’s speaking time. When we stop to properly refuel, we are approaching the throne of
the Most High God; we must let our preparations reflect that.

Read: 1 Kings 19:9-13

Pray: Thank God for His patience as you begin the quest of seeking Him in silence. Ask Him to draw near to you, as you draw near to Him. Ask Him to reveal the internal noise that fights Him for speaking time.

Do: Take time to ponder what noises (both internal and external) have competed for your refueling time. Create a plan for how you will quiet those things in order to seek HIS voice! Maybe your phone will not be near you when you pray, or you will go for a walk to get away from a talkative family—personalize it.

SUM 11: Day 30

Matthew 14:13; Psalm 46:10; John 6:15

Refuel: Stop. Have you ever dazed off during a car ride, reached your destination and realized you had no memory of the turns, stops or landmarks you encountered during the drive? This same experience often takes place in our spiritual walks. We clutter our lives with so many tasks that, at the end of the day, we are left exhausted in bed wondering how we got there. During each day, our souls thirst for God; however, if we rush through life without being mindful of Him,we attempt to drink cheap substitutes without even recognizing it. What do you do when your body craves a cold glass of water? You stop what you’re doing and quench that thirst! We should not treat our souls any differently! Taking time throughout the day to pause and seek the Lord is a beautiful, essential act for our spiritual well-being. It refocuses us on our purpose and unites us with our Creator. God doesn’t want to be part of your to-do list; He wants to be the center of it!

Read: Matthew 14:13; John 6:15; Psalm 46:10

Pray: Ask God to forgive you for the times you’ve focused more on your daily schedule
than on Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to hold you accountable throughout the day and remind you of the necessity of stopping to refuel. Thank the Lord for being a God who desires continual communication with you!

Do: The act of stopping is not something that comes naturally. Our flesh will automatically try to satisfy thirst with cheap substitutes. Practicing spiritual discipline is an act of worship, though, and God will honor our diligence. Take time to think about your daily routine and create purposeful “stopping points.” Use those times to stop and recognize the Lord’s presence, power and purpose in your life. Allow Him to refuel your soul with His living waters!

SUM 11: Service and Notes: Day 29

John 7:37-38 and Jeremiah 2:13

How does hunger or thirst affect you?

What do you do when you’re hungry or thirsty?

Discussion Thoughts:
1.

2.

3.

4.

What are the side effects of not quenching your thirst physically? What about
spiritually?

Memorize: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” John 7:37