By Don Thomas, Senior Pastor at Central Christian Church
“Jesus said, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)
I read a story recently by Dr. C.C. Albright that really challenged me. He was speaking for a group of college students and he challenged them in this way:
“It might be wise for us to take an inventory of our resources of time and review our habits of using it. There are 168 hours in each week. 56 of those we spend in sleep. Of the remaining 112 hours, we devote approximately 48 to labor. This leaves 64 hours, of which let us assign 12 hours for our daily meals. We have left a net of 52 hours of conscious active life to devote to any purpose to which we are inclined.
“Is it too much think that God requires a tithe of this free time? One tenth of 52 hours is 5.2 hours. How much of this tithe of time do we devote to strictly honoring God?
“If one allowed an hour for church attendance and an hour for Bible study or prayer meeting each week, he would still have 192 minutes per week – enough for nearly a half-hour EACH DAY in Prayer and Bible Reading. Such a person would still have more than 45 hours per week for life’s chores and personal fun!
“The old excuse ‘I just don’t have enough time’ doesn’t work.”
Interesting thoughts! A tithe of TIME?? Have we put a MEASURE to putting Him first? Have we CONSCIOUSLY PLANNED when we are going to spend time in study or prayer or fasting or Bible Reading? Or do we just casually say, “Sure, GOD is first in my life…when I have time.” ?
The greatest possession you have is the 24 hours directly in front of you. Maybe God is calling you TODAY to redeem that time with Him! Scripture says “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God…” Maybe we love God and love time with Him, but we haven’t been seeking Him FIRST! IS THAT YOU?
Set aside time TODAY to put Him first. Start reading in the book of James…or Ephesians…or John. Don’t read to count how many chapters…just read to soak in the story. Maybe you get stuck on a verse and stay there for a while-MEDITATE on it! Think on it…ask how God can use that verse or that concept to change your behavior TODAY!
I have a hunch that when we do THAT – put HIM first ahead of all of the other stuff in our schedule…that God is honored and all the other stuff will fall into place. Put Him FIRST today…and everything else will be added to you!
Shalom-Peace Upon Your Household
Don
