Cramming for Exams - Edie Melson

“The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.” Exodus 16:4

With sweaty palms and racing heart, the walk to my seat seemed to go on for miles. I hoped my all-nighter had done enough to prepare me for the exam I was about to face. Deep in my gut, I knew it hadn’t.

Do you remember studying for finals in high school and college? I do. I still have nightmares about it. I remember sliding through classes and doing the bare minimum to keep up my grades, while concentrating on other things. I seemed to be perpetually distracted by the trivia of day-to-day life. Then, at the end of a semester, I spent several nights trying to force all the information into my brain. No wonder we called it cramming instead of studying. It would have been so much simpler to have kept up through the semester. letting the lessons build on each other in a reasonable manner. There would have been time for reflection and growth in that area of my academic life.

At times, I’ve had the same challenge in my spiritual life. I’ve found myself going through the year, flitting from one thing to another, taken in by the trivial things of life, instead of being open to what God is doing around me. Then, at Christmas, or maybe Easter, I tried to cram as much spirituality into my life as I could get. How much better it would have been to spend the year keeping Christmas in my heart.

God is always at work around us, sharing daily lessons, ways we can grow closer to Him, learn more about Him. He makes it possible for us to know Him better throughout the year, instead of just concentrating on Him at certain times. These lessons build on one another and many times require time for reflection. This time is often lost in the busyness of the season, as we try to cram too much stuff into too little time.

So, my challenge to you is to join me in making this year different. Take time to listen to God, nurture your relationship with Him, reflect on the lessons He presents. Celebrate Jesus throughout the year.



Edie Melson is a writer whose passion can be summed up in three words—Speak the Truth. She loves digging in and finding out what’s relevant to her readers, whether the medium is fiction or non-fiction. Married 28 years, with 3 sons, she knows the world is constantly changing and often finds herself on the cutting edge of that process. As a freelance writer, speaker and editor with over 14 years experience, her byline has appeared in several national magazines and top websites, including Focus on the Family and Crosswalk.com. She currently works as Managing Editor for Centered Magazine, an online men’s collegiate magazine.