Ephesians 5:15-16 (NASB) 15 Therefore
be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making
the most of your time, because the days are evil.
“You will always have time for what
you really want to do.” Do you agree with that statement? Many people I know
would prefer to debate its veracity from the negative point of view. They do
not agree that it is true. So many of us run around either frustrated or
complaining (or both) that we never have time for what we want to do. We face
so many competing demands upon our time. However, I would like to advocate for
the positive point of view regarding that statement. When I say, “You will
always have time for what you really want to do.’… what I mean is that “You will
always make time for
what you really want to do.” In other words, all of us have the potential to
control our schedules and not be controlled by them. You and I will make time for what we
consider are priorities. How we use our time, in fact, is a statement of what our priorities are. I understand
we have to work. But most of us take time for this as a means of supporting and
caring for our families. That’s a great priority. God wants us to love our
families in this way. What about the rest of our time? Are we intentional to
spend any of it with God? How much? It is not my place to dictate to you some
legalistic amount or percentage that will make you “godly” or “spiritual”. For
me, the answer to those kinds of questions is almost always, “Well… I need to
use more than I am now, anyway.”
Quite a few years ago I gave the
following encouragement (in a sermon, I think): W-A-I-T with God. Consider the
following excerpt from Book of Times
by Lesley Alderman:
“One
urban legend holds that we spend three years of our life waiting. It's a great
stat, but likely untrue. But here are some real stats about waiting. New
Yorkers lead the nation in wait time. According to a 25-city survey, New
Yorkers spend an average of 6 minutes and 51 seconds waiting in individual
store lines. Miami comes in second at 6 minutes and 44 seconds. Who spends the
least time? Clevelanders—they spend just 4 minutes and 33 seconds in line.
Which
lines do people hate the most? Grocery store checkout lines. The same survey
also found that half of consumers have refused to return to stores that had
long wait times. The average wait times for doctors is 24 minutes. But in urban
areas and among certain specialties, the waits can be much longer.
Neurosurgeons have the longest wait times—30 minutes, on average. Why?
"All patients have questions for their doctor, but not surprisingly
surgical patients have more questions about the procedure, process, and
expected outcomes." The average wait time for an ER visit was a staggering
4 hours and 7 minutes in 2009.
Do
you hate waiting? Don't move to Russia. The Mystery Shopping Providers
Association sent its spies to wait in lines in stores, banks, post offices, and
drugstores in 24 European countries and found that Russian customers spent the
most time waiting in queues, followed by the Italians and Bulgarians. The
Swedes got off easy, just 2.2 minutes per line.”
What if we could reclaim some of our
waiting times? We all encounter these times in various ways as we live our
days. But what if we “converted” these times into times when we Welcome
An Intimate Time with God (WAIT with
God)? Just think about how much time we could spend in His presence just
talking to Him! We could talk to Him about of families, our work, about the
people around us in that moment, about the future, our problems and our needs.
And we could talk to Him about what made us sad or mad or glad or afraid that
day. We could spend some time thanking Him for specific things He has done –
especially that very day, and for what He has done in our lives in the past. We
could take a little time to think about God’s nature – unfolded for us so
beautifully in the Bible. Whether it’s a minute at a red light, a few minutes in
line at the store, or many minutes waiting at an appointment… all of that
precious time could be spent with the living God – the Creator of the universe
who knows and loves us and who desires fellowship with us. We aren’t really
doing anything all that important while we are waiting. So why not do something
of infinite value? Indeed, why not?
Psalm 39:4-5 (NIV) 4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know
how fleeting is my life. 5 You have made my days a mere
handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is
but a breath. Selah
Psalm 90:10 (NIV) The length of our days is seventy years--
or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV) Teach us to number our days aright, that we
may gain a heart of wisdom.
John 14:16-17 (NIV) 16 And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot
accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he
lives with you and will be in you.
PRAYER: Father, help me to remember to redeem the time
and to make the most of every opportunity to spend with you. Your company is
better than life itself. Let me seek the joy of dwelling in your presence
continually. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
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