You Really Do Have the Time

Recently, I came down with a 24-hour bug. It came. The initial attack was chills. It conquered when the main assault commenced. When the worst of the battle was over, a high fever and aches remained in its wake . . . And that was just the first 6 hours.

During the remaining 18 – what part I was actually awake – I had time to reflect. I thought about all the things that I would normally have been doing, and I thought about how those things weren’t getting done. Then, I thought about how little that mattered.

As my illness continued, I praised God when I could – given that I kept falling asleep. I passed by the computer from time to time, but even it had no real appeal . . . and now, you really do know how ill I was.

I say all of that to say this. There is nothing that you don’t have time to do. If you say that you don’t have the time, what you are really saying is that you choose not to make the time. It’s up to you to choose, and it is your choice. It’s not a lack of time, and that is in itself the point.

It’s easy to look at our lives, and decide that we don’t have the time. We can miss the kids growing up. We can miss the important moments in our spouse’s life. We can miss making the memories. We can even miss out on church, our personal devotions with God, and anything else we decide to put last in our lives.

We can put our job first. We can put serving God first. We can even promote serving God to a level He never meant. We do that when we decide what it is that God would have us to do without letting Him tell us. Unfortunately, many folks fall into that pit unawares.

Often the net result is that we find ourselves tired, worn out, or even ill. Do take time to pray and seek God’s direction before you serve or commit yourself to too many things. Say “no” when the Lord leads you to do so, and learn to wait on God instead of depending on yourself in life’s ups and downs.

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:25-31

LIFE APPLICATION

Today’s challenge is to think about the things that God would have you to do. Think about the really important things in your life: treasure your relationships with people; treasure your relationship with God; serve how and when He would have you to serve. Realize that most of the things that we tend to think are important really aren’t.