Consistency

I've recently finished reading "Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (I highly recommend it) and was convicted on a number of things. My ongoing struggle is consistency in the word and in prayer. There is an entire chapter of this book devoted to an individual's time of prayer, reading the word and meditating on it. This book pointed out to me how much of an impact my personal time alone with and relationship with God can have an effect on the church as a whole. "The individual must realize that his hours of aloneness react upon the community. In his solitude he can sunder and besmirch the fellowship, or he can strengthen and hallow it. Every act of self-control of the Christian is also a service to the fellowship. On the other hand, ther is no sin in thought, word, or deed, no matter how personal or secret, that does not inflict injury upon the whole fellowship." Lately, I struggle to get up early and spend time in the word because often Ian keeps me up in the middle of the night for random reasons. When that happens, I generally put off my quiet time until the evening when the kids are in bed but I find that the mornings are really the best time and most spiritually productive. My current prayer is that regardless of what else happens in my life, I will keep that time sacred to God. Bonhoeffer states "We have a right to this time, even prior to the claims of other people, and we may insist upon having it as a completely undisturbed quiet time despite all external difficulties." I totally agree but I wonder how do I insist upon it to a 2yr old when he wants to wake up at 5am?