Time
Time. It is something we all get an equal portion of...and one that we individually spend in diverse manners. The older I get, the less time I seem to have...and this, I believe, is not an observation, skewed by my own personal views, but seems to be a common thread.
I suppose that it would be more correct to state that: "The older one gets, the busier one is...and therefore the perception that time is moving by more rapidly." So, what is it that so consumes our time? Work, of course, is a major one...consuming 8-10 hours a day, sometimes more if a longer commute is necessary. Then there is the endless "honey-do" list of odds & ends around the house...things that do need to get done.
Church involvement will also take up time, especially if you attend a church that hasn't gone with the modern "once a week service" and still meets twice on Sunday and once during the week. If that church has a prayer meeting, there goes another hour or two.
Here is my question, both to myself and to anyone who chooses to read this: how much time do we allocate to personal devotions...both in the Bible and in prayer? I have the luxury of larger blocks of time than most, what with no family and few outside responsibilites...but I think the point is what you do with the time you have, not the time you do not have.
How important is our time with the Lord? Do we eagerly anticipate it? Do we do it out of guilt, fear or duty? Do we do it if time allows or do we prioritize for it? Just some questions. I was struck yesterday once again by the importance, no...the vital nature of spending time in communication with God.
Consider this statement from Job 23:12b "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. "
Or this from Deut 8:3 "And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live."
How can we ever discern the thoughts and attitudes of even our own hearts if we are not saturated with the Word of God? How can we hope to have continued victory over the flesh if we do not walk in the Spirit? How do we know what the Spirit "walks like" if we don't know Him? (And by that I mean know Him, not have Him, for He does dwell in us.)
Anyway, those are just a few thoughts this morning, stemming from my studies this week. God has been faithful in opening up more and more of His word, especially in regard to Moab and the flesh. What an amazing analogy! As I condense these thoughts, I'll pass a few along your way. Enjoy the day!
I suppose that it would be more correct to state that: "The older one gets, the busier one is...and therefore the perception that time is moving by more rapidly." So, what is it that so consumes our time? Work, of course, is a major one...consuming 8-10 hours a day, sometimes more if a longer commute is necessary. Then there is the endless "honey-do" list of odds & ends around the house...things that do need to get done.
Church involvement will also take up time, especially if you attend a church that hasn't gone with the modern "once a week service" and still meets twice on Sunday and once during the week. If that church has a prayer meeting, there goes another hour or two.
Here is my question, both to myself and to anyone who chooses to read this: how much time do we allocate to personal devotions...both in the Bible and in prayer? I have the luxury of larger blocks of time than most, what with no family and few outside responsibilites...but I think the point is what you do with the time you have, not the time you do not have.
How important is our time with the Lord? Do we eagerly anticipate it? Do we do it out of guilt, fear or duty? Do we do it if time allows or do we prioritize for it? Just some questions. I was struck yesterday once again by the importance, no...the vital nature of spending time in communication with God.
Consider this statement from Job 23:12b "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. "
Or this from Deut 8:3 "And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live."
How can we ever discern the thoughts and attitudes of even our own hearts if we are not saturated with the Word of God? How can we hope to have continued victory over the flesh if we do not walk in the Spirit? How do we know what the Spirit "walks like" if we don't know Him? (And by that I mean know Him, not have Him, for He does dwell in us.)
Anyway, those are just a few thoughts this morning, stemming from my studies this week. God has been faithful in opening up more and more of His word, especially in regard to Moab and the flesh. What an amazing analogy! As I condense these thoughts, I'll pass a few along your way. Enjoy the day!
posted by Derek Linder at 8:46 AM
2 Comments:
"Seek first the Kingdom of God and ALL these things shall be added unto you". I fully believe if you start your day with the Word and some time praying in the Spirit, the Spirit will lead your day in such a way that you accomplish everything you needed for that day, with time left over.
D-
This is Bill in SC. My uncle who is in his 70s now has been an inspiration to me. He is/was a successful businessman, deacon in the church and a family man. I asked him how he had time for all of it. He said that he got up at 5am and for the first couple hours on his day was "his" time. This is when he did devotions, personal prayer and exercise. The rest of the day was for his business, church and family. I have adopted this to my life, however, I still find it is not enough. Hope this helps!
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