Out of Balance

Acts 2: 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 
I returned from Israel out of sorts.  Not grumpy.  Not irritated.  Not frustrated.  I thought I was just tired, but by Sunday when I hadn't snapped out of it, I knew something else was wrong.  I examined my time over the past 10 days and was immediately confronted by my own lack of discipline.  I had not once sat down to journal about what God was speaking or doing and I was in the land where he took on flesh and then gave that very flesh up for my sins which I was in the very process of committing.  Of all places to not devote one's self to prayer and devotion!
The excuse:  I've found that as I age, travel is becoming more difficult.  I don't sleep as soundly as I once did and travel, especially international travel, really messes with my already sub-optimal sleep schedule.  Even days spent on my feet walking in excess of 5 miles (it seems everyone has a fitbit these days and can tell me how far I've walked with them), I didn't sleep well at night.  Consequently, I felt sorry for myself and spent as much time in the bed as possible, foregoing my usual morning routine of writing a short devotion.  Besides, I'm on travel, I can surely take a break from morning devotions, right?
One never knows the importance of discipline until you abandon it.  I became convinced on Sunday that my poor mood wasn't lack of sleep, although that was certainly a contributor.  Instead, I believe the failure to discipline myself and center myself under Christ's Lordship each morning led to what might best be described as a mini prodigal experience.  I know God didn't go anywhere, but the failure to take time in prayer and devotion led to a strange lack of contentment and a feeling of being distant from God.  Nothing was right.  Nothing was good, everything frustrated me, especially my lack of sleep which became more and more elusive as the trip went on.  Unfortunately, the real issue wasn't confined to sleep, it was a lack of devotion. 
May I remember this brief lesson the rest of my days and discipline myself to simply grasp the promise made by seeking Him first.  Only then will "all other things be added"  (Matt 6:33).  I had the privilege of going to the Holy Land for the second time and I cheated myself out of a prime experience by losing discipline.  May I live a disciplined life of devotion from this day forward.
Thanks to Rew Randolph for an excellent sermon yesterday that reinforced my own conclusion regarding "whining."   Perhaps God needed Dave to take a break just so I could hear the lesson on the importance of discipline in devotion.  Thanks Rew!