 |
| Credit: FreeFoto.com |
I have been given thought lately to the subject of time. More precisely, how am I spending time in light of eternity? Am I making an eternal difference with my time? I, like everyone else, has 24 hours in a day, is it used wisely? I recognize there many things in life which are necessary, yet eat up time. Some of these include working, shopping for groceries,and maintaining our cars and homes. Just naming a few. Of course, it is good to set some time aside for rest and doing some fun things. Oh yes, these things may also be done to God's glory. However, am I doing well making time for things of eternal importance? I, like many other believers devote time to church, Bible study, prayer, serving, quality family time and so on.
Now let's pull this back a layer. What is my motive for setting time aside for the things of God? Oh how critical having a right heart is in all that we do. First, we must have an intimate love relationship with the Lord, then we must love what we do. When its is not in place, instead of experiencing joy, our work becomes burdensome. All we are doing is trying to appease God or someone else. All this results in is whitewashing our outside in order to make us appear as though we are committed Christians. One, in fact, may be saved,yet saved as though fire. I do not want all I do in life to be burnt up. (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-15) When everything we do is done out of love and built upon Christ, it is real. Loving Christ first and foremost, then building upon that foundation is critical to our life counting for eternal value.
1 Corinthians 13:1-8a
New King
James Version (NKJV)
The Greatest Gift
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not
love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but
have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not
love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers
long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is
not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in
iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never
fails…
Sometimes we grow weary and tired because we bite off too much to chew. Sometimes one may be striving to accomplish something God has not called them to. This being said, when our walk becomes dry and our work becomes burdensome, one may in fact have a heart problem. If this is the case, take some time and examine your heart, one may need to return to their first love.
Revelation 2
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Loveless Church
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’
