I first read this little article many years ago. I ran across it today, and as I read it again I thought of how imperative it is that we "seek first the kingdom of God ....".
"The Gospel of Mark pictures a frail little woman who, in spite of the thronging crowds, pressed her way through into the presence of Jesus and touched the hem of His garment. Likewise we today find hindrances when we would contact our Lord in the secret closet or the holy sanctuary. These hindering forces which keep us from heaven's resources are not always sinful, but often we are tempted to settle for second best simply because such settlement requires less self-discipline. But the barriers must go if we are to get through to God.
There is the barrier of unbudgeted time -- the fallacy that we are too busy to spend the hours in His presence necessary to deep devotion and high holiness.
There is the barrier of emotional exhaustion -- the ugly fact that we are always giving our best emotions to cheap chatter, to funny men, to fears about the future instead of to divine delights.
There is the barrier of accumulated hindrances -- the telephone (cellphone), the doorbell, wandering thoughts, persistent problems, and legitimate interruptions crowding God out when we should be asking Him in.
There is the barrier of careless neglect -- the spiritual dry rot caused by shallow meditation, "borrowed" tithes, prayerlessness and neglected church attendance -- all eroding the inner man.
There is the barrier of too much of harmless indulgences and too little of self-discipline on the highway of holiness.
Is our worship rewarding? It can be --- if we break through to God!"
--Fletcher Spruce
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