January 5, 2018

Spend Time Wisely

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

We think we’ve got all the time in the world, don’t we? That little cliché rests deep in our hearts. We’re certain we can procrastinate, put off, wait another day for whatever it is we know we should do.

Then one day, sometimes without warning, everything changes. Sudden death, illness, divorce, job loss. The list could go on and on. But there is one thing they all have in common: You and the life you imagined have changed forever.

Have you ever known someone who retired and then, within just a few months, was dead? All their life they’d dreamed about retirement. They were going to sleep late, lounge in the recliner, watch endless TV. It was going to be the perfect life. They just never expected death to come so quickly.

Or what about the man who worked hard year after year so that one day he could retire and travel tirelessly with his wife? It was going to be the perfect life. Except that in his relentless pursuit of the future, he put off medical checkups in the present. By the time the doctor found the cancer, it has spread. Stage IV, they called it. He won’t live long enough to take all those trips he postponed.

We tell ourselves we’ll play with our kids or grandkids “one day.” We promise to call, to write, to visit “one day.” We’re going to volunteer at the food pantry “one day.” We’re going to read the Bible all the way through “one day.” Do you see a pattern here?

None of us are promised anything beyond this moment. Yet we live our lives as though we’ve got forever to get around to doing what we’d always intended to do. Why is that?

We are a people who like to procrastinate. We settle down into our comfortable lives of today and dream about a tomorrow that may never come. We put off living until it’s too late. Then we look back and wonder what took us so long to realize what really mattered.

People matter. Giving matters. Helping others without expectation of anything in return matters. Sitting there watching mindless television doesn’t really matter. Playing video games doesn’t really matter.

We’ve got our lives so messed up sometimes. We neglect what energizes us – time with God, sleep, giving back – and focus on what drains us – gossip, drinking, gadgets.

It’s not that zoning out in front of the TV is all bad. Nor is playing video games or any number of other escapist activities. It’s when those things consume us to the point that we neglect what matters most that we need to step back and remember how fleeting life really can be.

Each of us has the same number of hours each day. How are you spending yours? Are you moving forward, giving back, spending quality time with those you love? Or are you turned within, just trying to get through the days while you wait for a perfect tomorrow?

Don’t wait. Take that trip. Play with your kids. Serve others for Christ. We don’t know how long our journey home will take so make every day count.

October 7, 2018

No Guarantees

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. -- Psalm 90:12

This is not the life he had planned. He had retired. His wife was soon to retire. They were going to travel and spoil their grandchildren and just enjoy themselves. And then she got sick and died.

Now he’s struggling to make sense of what’s left. He has to go on. He has to live what’s left of his life. But it will never look the way it would have looked had she lived.

Another friend is two months into unexpected widowhood. How could someone seemingly so healthy get sick and die within days? How does she reorder her life, care for her children, and look to the future when each day looks so bleak?

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. They were supposed to watch their children become adults, welcome grandchildren and retirement. They were supposed to grow old together. She feels cheated even as she seeks God’s will to go forward.

Should I go on? Another friend fought a hard battle for two years. Her son died. She will never be okay. She goes on. She’s got three other children. But how can she ever trust in tomorrow? How can she rid herself of this deep fear inside? One child died of cancer. Could she lose another?

We are people who plan. We fill our days with work and meetings and kids’ activities. We are busy people. We’ll get around to joy a little later. There will be plenty of time to rest when we’ve accomplished all that we’ve planned. We’ll have lots of time to spend with the kids then. We’ll all be glad of the nice home and all the stuff we’ve filled it with.

Until the day when life changes forever. If you’re lucky, you’ll get another chance to get it right. If you’re not, you’ll be left with deep regrets.

Another friend marked an unfortunate milestone last week. It had been exactly a year since her husband was involved in head-on collision. He is fine. The other driver, the one who swerved in front of him, died. She remembers the phone call, the frantic rush to the accident scene, then thankfulness that he would be okay. And the sorrow that someone they’d never met had died.

Life isn’t something to take for granted. We know that. So why do we live as though tomorrow is promised? It isn’t. Only God knows the number of our days. We should spend those days focused on what’s truly important.

If you died today what would your children remember about you? That you worked all the time? That your house was always spotless? Or would they remember how you played with them, helped them with homework, held them when they cried?

What would your friends remember? Would they consider you a hard worker and tough competitor? Or would they remember your kindness, your compassion, your laughter?

We don’t like to think of the day we’ll move on to our heavenly home. Oh, we want to go to heaven. Just not today. Or tomorrow. But that’s not our choice.

It’s always wise to plan for the future, to have savings and a good job and a welcoming home. But treat today as the treasure that it is. Be grateful for the time you have with those you love. Extend grace. Show mercy. Be kind. Today is a gift and tomorrow may never come. Live accordingly.

May 8, 2018

Seek God First

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33

Life gets overwhelming sometimes, doesn’t it? There are so many demands on our time, our resources, our minds. Sometimes I’m tempted to throw up my hands and shout, “I’m done!” and go hibernate for a while. Do you know what I mean?

Those who are in ministry talk about Satan’s attacks when they are stepping forward into God’s calling. Do you want to lead a Bible study? Expect an attack. Do you feel called to start a new outreach program? Expect an attack. Are you stepping out in faith toward God’s calling? Expect an attack.

Yes. We know Satan prowls around looking for ways to push our buttons. And we know that he will attack us and try to derail anything we are attempting to do for God’s glory. But expecting that attack and living through it? That’s tough.

We know to resist the devil and he will flee from us. We understand that we must wear the armor of God at all times. But some days, when we are battered and bruised, it just feels overwhelming.

That’s when it’s time to refocus and regroup. What’s most important? Seek God’s kingdom first and everything else will fall into place. I just had that conversation with someone yesterday. My prayer is that the wayward child – now an adult – will once again place Jesus as the center of her world. If that happens, wise choices will result and the prodigal child will return. It’s that simple and that hard.

In my own life, I am pulled in many directions. There is always work to be done, people and animals who are counting on me, responsibilities that can seem too much to bear. But I don’t face them alone. God is with me, guiding me and teaching me. He sends helpers when I need them. He gives direction when I need it. God surrounds me with His love and care.

A number of years ago I had someone ask what time I had gotten up. We were headed out on an early morning work trip. That person was astounded that I got up early enough to spend time with God before we left. I was astounded that he would think I would do anything else.

“How can I ask for God’s protection when I don’t make time for Him,” I asked. “How can I know what He wants if I don’t meet with Him and ask? How can I expect strength to resist temptations if I don’t spend time in His Word?”

And, yet, when we are busy, overwhelmed, filled with stress and worry, what is one of the first things we give up? Time with God. The thing we need most. Can you see Satan’s hand in that?

If there’s one thing Satan knows, it’s that he needs to pull us away from Almighty God. It’s the only way his attacks will work. Satan understands the power of the cross and the One who lives inside of us. The question then becomes: Do we understand?

Every season of life comes with challenges and difficulties, right along with blessings and joy. Find your strength in the One who controls it all.

February 16, 2018

The Gift of Time

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1

“Do you think if I paid her, she’d come to see us?” The question shocked me almost as much as the tears streaming down her face. She clutched a photo to her chest. Anguish lit her eyes.

What was I to say? The truth she didn’t want to hear or, well, the truth she didn’t want to hear?

I considered my words. “Probably,” I told her. “But you have to ask yourself that if you have to pay someone to come and see you, they probably aren’t worth the money.”

She nodded. “I know. I just miss her so much.”

My heart broke for her.

A sweet friend worked many years at a nursing home just over the state line. It wasn’t the illness and death that shredded her tender heart. Nor was it the loss of mental clarity by some residents that caused her anguish. No. It was the broken hearts of so many residents who longed for a call or visit from loved ones who never came.

But, she told me, just let that person come near death and the relatives would emerge, anguish spewing from their mouths. The thought of an inheritance would remind them of a love they hadn’t shown in years. Of course, if the crisis passed, they’d be gone again until the next time an emergency arose.

I’ve no doubt those scenarios play out in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and older homes everywhere. We have plenty of time for people so long as they are healthy and doing for us. They watch the children or take everyone out to eat. They are quick to pay for extras and always show up for sports, dance and recital events.

Then slowly they can’t do those things any longer. Their once abundant lives are fading and they find themselves alone for this last journey home. When do we get so busy that we can’t spend time with people who have loved us well?

Of course, it’s not always this way. One sweet woman lamented moving to be near her son and his family. She didn’t want to end up like her friends, alone in a new town. Her daughter-in-law is a jewel, something she shared with everyone. She made sure to include this woman in all the kids’ activities and brought those children by to see their grandmother several times each week. This elderly woman’s face lit with joy when she talked about how wonderful it was to be an active part of her son’s family.

No one expects to end up alone as their days on earth near the end. We think that surely those we have invested our time and money, our very hearts, into will be there. Surely, they love us as we have loved them? The answer will break your heart.

It’s not about us. Rick Warren wrote that many years ago. It’s still true. One day your busy life will fade away. All those important tasks that you think can’t wait will fall to someone else. You’ll be the one sitting alone waiting for someone to remember you with their precious gift of time.

Who do you need to call or visit today? Don’t wait. 

May 20, 2016

God Comforts the Grieving

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -- Psalm 34:18

It was a year ago today. My friend’s mother died. How do you get over that? How do you go on?

Certainly, it was not unexpected. She’d slowly left her family behind as she fell into the abyss that is Alzheimer’s. It didn’t make her passing any easier for the daughter who adored her.

She is only one of several friends who have buried their mamas in the last year. Mother’s Day was rough for them. They were orphans for the very first time.

But God was there. He is close to those who are grieving. He carries us when we don’t have the strength to go on.

Of course, there are other types of grief. There is the grief that comes when something, or someone, destroys your life as you know it. You grieve for the life that was even as you trudge forward into the life that now is.

Taking time to grieve is important. We want to push forward. We want to shake it off. We tell ourselves that if our faith was strong enough we wouldn’t be hurting so badly.

My friend said that everyone had told her time would ease her grief. Yet she still grieves as much today as she did the day her Mama went home to Jesus. Of course she does! There is no time limit on grief and everyone grieves differently. There is no right or wrong way. Really.

Several years ago I experienced a wave of grief that seemed to come out of nowhere. It has been years. Surely I was past it. I took it to God and then I remembered. It had snowed and that is a rare occurrence where I live. The last conversation I’d had with him was about snow. That fluffy white stuff that barely lasted a day brought back memories I thought were, if not gone, at least dealt with and put on that shelf called past life.

Time does make it easier but my friend will miss her Mama every single day for the rest of her life. That’s a reality that no one wants to share. One day I pray that she’ll be able to tell a funny story and not break down in tears. She’ll laugh, as we all will, and remember all the happy times.

But for now, for today, her heart is still broken. Jesus is right there with her. He comforts her. She holds on to her faith and His promise that she will see her Mama again one day.

April 14, 2016

Prioritize God

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

-- Psalm 46:10

Our world has gotten so crazy. We’re always busy, running to catch up to a place that can never be our destination. Why? Because by the time we get there, it will have moved.

Yesterday I had a long conversation with a dear friend. We did it by texting. The conversation lasted over an hour, though we did have breaks. We could have talked and said the same things in 10 minutes. Or, at least, we could have once upon a time.

She has ALS. You’ve probably heard of it. The disease is sometimes called Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the baseball player. It is a cruel disease that manifests itself different ways with different people. In her case, she has lost the ability to speak and swallow food.

There is good in slowing down, in savoring a conversation with a dear friend. In cherishing the moments that one day won’t come. So why do we wait until life forces us to slow down to savor it?

I’ve been told by more than one cancer survivor that it ended up being the best thing that ever happened to them. Why? It reordered their priorities. It shined a bright light on what was really important and what was just stuff.

Why do we allow ourselves to get so caught up in all the activity of life that we miss what’s important? Maybe because it’s safer. It’s easier. Less messy. We don’t have to allow ourselves to be as vulnerable, even with the people we love. We don’t have to risk ourselves because we’re filled with excuses that occupy our time.

One dear lady -- a two-time lung cancer survivor -- told me her illness has made her less patient with the drama that surrounds so many people. She fills her life with people that matter, people who laugh, are trustworthy, and who have their priorities in order. She treasures those people and keeps a distance from those who drain her time and energy.

It all comes down to priorities. I wonder how many Christians really take time to quiet their minds and their lives to allow God access to their hearts. Be still, God tells us. Feel His power and His love. Just be still in His Presence. Make God your priority. It has a way of reordering your focus onto what really is important.

April 7, 2016

Choose Your Priorities

3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

 -- Ecclesiastes 3:3-8

We all have the same amount of time. Twenty-four hours in a day. Seven days in a week. Twelve months in a year. So why is it some people seem to have so much more time than others?

Time management? Maybe it’s not so much about time management as it is about priorities.

There are certain things we must do each day. Eat. Sleep. Work. Tend to children or parents. There are tasks that pile up if we’re not careful, like laundry and dishes and yard work. We can keep really busy being busy with the tasks of life.

And, in the end, what does it all matter?

I’m not suggesting chunk it all aside for a life of nothing. We must take care of the basics. But what happens when the basics interfere with the life we are called to lead?

We’re back to priorities. What is truly important? To me, spending time with God each day is like the breath of life in my body. I need it. I need Him. I can’t understand how so many people don’t have “time” to talk with God, to study the Bible, to thank Him for so many blessings each day.

That starts things off with my priorities in order. What next? People. It takes seconds to be kind. Open a door. Share a smile. Say “thank you.” Or take a few minutes and call someone who is hurting. Visit someone who is lonely. Give the gift of yourself. You’re the one who will be rewarded.

We all have the same amount of time each day. Use it to further God’s kingdom through your words and actions. Let God, then people, be your priorities and you’ll make a difference for eternity.

December 30, 2014

Make Time Today

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

-- Colossians 3:15-17

You always think you're going to have more time. Some people are such a fixture in your life that you always expect them to be there. And then they aren't. The sadness is deep, profound.

She was what we delicately call "elderly." She'd fought cancer twice. She'd lost her husband to a horrible disease. She'd buried one son. She lived with oxygen and caregivers. But she stayed at home until her final trip to the hospital. And, thank God, there was nothing wrong with her mind.

I loved her, this sweet cousin of mine. Our relationship ran deep, much deeper than most knew. Her Mother was so dear to me. It was so natural that her only daughter and I would bond, despite the vast age difference.

She spoke in that slow, Southern drawl that personifies this part of the world. Her laugh combined with a sparkle in her eyes. She was tiny in stature but her strength ran deep.

What I most admired is that she always had time for the people she loved. She was the first to call and check on people. She remembered to send cards. Despite her frail health, she welcomed visitors. What an example she was!

She lived her faith. It was really that simple. There was a peace about her that comes from a deep, unshakable faith. I want that. I do. I want to have faith with roots than run as deep as her faith ran.

The coming days will be hard. We'll say goodbye to a soul that is already home. We'll remember and mourn and laugh and love on each other. It's what families do. We'll find comfort in knowing she's with loved ones that have gone before. And we'll find comfort in the promise that this goodbye is only temporary. We'll see her again. Thank you Jesus! We'll see her again.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Days Pass Quickly By

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. -- Psalm 139:16

Another week has come and gone and my list of things I’d really like to do barely has a dent in it. Sometimes it’s just frustrating. My life seems like a runaway train and I am powerless to stop it.

I know I’m not alone in this. We are so busy getting through the moments that time just zips by. I laugh sometimes when I remember what my elders used to say about time passing slowly as a child and quickly as an adult. They were right.

Perhaps, too, I’ve reordered my priorities a bit. That is mostly a good thing. Until my life fades away and the duties of the world take over. Then I shake my head in wonder. Will it always be this way? Will I die without ever accomplishing the things I really mean to do?

I can’t say that I would change the week. There were sick people to visit and families to comfort as they readied to bury their dead. There was work to be done, a doctor appointment for a parent, and the usual things of laundry and food and dishes to be washed.

And then the week was done. Or almost anyway. This morning I headed north for work, forgoing the craft show and yard sales I’d planned to visit. I am grateful for the work and always remember that some have no opportunities to earn money at all.

Oh, and I’ve spent hours preparing for my Sunday school class and women’s Bible study group. I enjoy them both. I do. But some days it seems overwhelming until I remember that God called me to this place. He gives me words and direction and somehow that makes it alright.

But I wonder sometimes why I don’t laugh like I used to do. Or did I ever? Surely I did once upon a time. In days gone by I did things just for fun. I attended concerts and plays. I watched baseball at the stadium instead of catching a game every now and then on television. I went to the beach. I drank coffee at sidewalk cafes. I miss that life sometimes.

Then I remember how empty it could be. It was a life filled with activity and fun, with friends and lighthearted laughter. Until tragedy came and then it wasn’t fun anymore.

This week went quickly by because so many people around me are hurting. And people come first for me now. Some weeks are just like this one. I wish they weren’t. I long for laughter where there is now grief. I pray for healing where there is now illness and despair. And I stand with those who need the comfort of people who care. That’s where my week went and somehow that’s okay.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

People Need Your Time

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. -- James 4:17

Sometimes we know exactly what we’re supposed to do. And we don’t do it. We may feel a little guilty. We may lash out in justification. We may clam up and refuse to talk about it. But we know.

Today is the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Do you remember the horror of that day? Do you remember how people clung to each other, vowing to remember the lessons and always put people first?

Time dulls our pain, especially for those not directly impacted by loss that day. We forget that putting people first means giving of our time when we’d much rather just give a little money.

Lately I’ve been recruiting volunteers to help people in need. I’m really not asking for much, just an hour or so every four to six weeks. Most folks spend more time than that in front of the television every night. It’s amazing how many people squirm, look away, and just don’t step up.

I realize that actively helping others just isn’t something others feel comfortable doing. I do understand that. I also know that few things are as rewarding as reaching out to people in need.

Many months ago I started a group at our church designed to help those we tend to forget. We don’t mean to. It’s just that when people can no longer attend church, either because they’re too sick, too feeble, or they are caregivers, then we don’t remember them. It’s usually a slow thing that happens. Nothing intentional at all. But it hurts just the same.

People associate the church -- God’s people and NOT the building -- as representing Jesus here on earth. As it should be because He does live in the hearts of all Christians. So when we neglect people in their darkest hours they feel like God has forgotten them. He hasn’t. We have. But when you’re hurting it’s really hard to distinguish between the two.

We know what we’re supposed to do. We know. We just don’t want to. And that is a sin.

How many of you just got huffy with me? How many just stiffened into your defensive posture? Well, I’m talking to you.

Life’s moments are measured by the lives that we touch. Not the big things, though those can be important to. But in the small things we do for each other: the casserole taken to a sick neighbor, the ride to a doctor’s appointment for an elderly friend, a couple of hours of childcare for a mother in desperate need of some alone time.

What is God calling you to do today? What are you waiting for?

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Take Time For Others

Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. -- Philippians 2:4

It’s just so easy to get caught up in our own lives. Unless something impacts us directly or gets shoved in front of us, we put it off to another day. Then another. And another. We’re busy people, after all.

Too busy most of the time. I don’t know about you, but there are days when I long for a day off. Not a day spent doing “fun” stuff, though that would surely be okay. Just a day off with nothing to do and no one to please.

It’s a dream. I know that. We’re all too busy rushing through life to ever take a day off. And sometimes we’re too busy rushing through life to notice the people around us. To visit. To care. To take a few moments and focus on someone else.

Yesterday afternoon I went to the hospital to visit two dear ladies. I didn’t have time. I have orders overdue and demands on my time. My car isn’t feeling well and getting there and back was iffy. But I went anyway because it was what I felt called to do.

And I’m so glad I did. It’s amazing how caring about others can renew your spirit. But isn’t that how it always works? We give to others and we end up getting the blessing.

It doesn’t have to be visiting those in the hospital. Some dear friends are active in our church sports programs. I think they have more fun than the kids. Sure, there are children in need of role models and a foundation of faith in Christ. They get that -- right along with the laughter and plenty of time to tell my friends about themselves.

Another man spends every Tuesday evening at the county jail. He laughs that the first two years he participated in this ministry, he begged God to get him out of it. Now 20-plus years later, the inmates look forward to his visits. No section of the jail is off limits because he’s there to offer Christ to anyone and everyone. And they know that.

Caring for others. Getting out of ourselves and reaching toward those who are hurting or in need, those whose lives are in shambles or those who just need someone to listen. Everyone wants to believe that there’s someone out there who cares about them.

We are a busy people. And, frankly, our society seems to grow more and more self-involved every. But we have a choice too. We can choose to reach out and touch the lives of those around us. We can choose to show the love of Jesus to others, making time, taking time, to care about someone besides ourselves.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Make Time With God A Priority

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

-- Luke 5:16

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.

-- Luke 6:12-13

A dear friend was frazzled. Okay. She was overwhelmed and burnt-out with all that fills her life. She was juggling everything just fine until something unexpected required her immediate attention. And then she had a melt down.

After she had vented for a while, I asked if she’d been spending time alone with God. Absolutely, she assured me. She’d spent a good five minutes that very morning praying and talking with God.

Five minutes. Umm, that’s not nearly enough time with God when life is going good. It sure doesn’t begin to be enough when life is falling apart. I began to understand why she was overwhelmed and out of sorts with her life. She’d put what should be her number one priority to the fit-it-in-where- and-when-you-can category.

I gently reminded her that five minutes with God couldn’t begin to satisfy her craving for time with Him. I urged her to make quiet time with God a priority in her life. And not just five minutes.

I also suggested she spend time reading the Bible and reflecting on its words. God speaks to us when we listen. But we have to make time to listen.

It’s hard sometimes. I know that. Life gets away from us rather quickly. We don’t want to turn off the TV or the cell phone or the laptop. We’re so plugged in to everything and everyone that we can’t imagine turning it all off for, well, silence.

Because that’s what alone time with God is all about. Silence. Oh, sure, we talk to Him. But it’s like any relationship. It’s a give and take thing. We talk awhile and then we listen awhile. If we keep telling God what we want from Him, we’ll never be able to hear what He wants from us.

Sometimes I think maybe that’s the point. We’re not sure we want to hear what God has to say. We’re afraid He’ll call us to do something we’ve never done before. We’re scared that He’ll demand more of us than we’ve ever given before. And how could we possibly fit anything else into an already overcrowded schedule?

By depending on God. By spending time alone with the One who gives us strength. By opening ourselves up to the peace that only He can give. Time with God should be the most important part of your day. And not just for five minutes. Give it try and see how much better everything works out when God becomes the priority in your world.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Live Today Like It Was Tomorrow

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. -- Hebrews 12:2

What captured your attention today? Was it some gossip at work? How about the latest sports scores? Did your child have a recital? Or maybe you splurged and went shopping?

What part did Jesus play in your day? Was He an active participant in your day? Or did you even consider Him as you focused on more immediate things?

Because we tend to think that we’ve got time to spend with Jesus. We can read that extra Bible passage tomorrow. We can go visit that elderly relative over the weekend. We can donate to the food pantry next month. We can show kindness to a stranger when we have a little more time.

What happens when all those tomorrows are suddenly gone? You have today. This moment. That’s it. Maybe you’ll have the next moment. Maybe not. Because life doesn’t come with guarantees.

You know that of course. We all do. But knowing it in our heads and understanding it with our hearts is two very different things. We are fortunate if we never learn that firsthand. For most of us, that lesson came way too early.

I am forever amazed at the reckless way we sometimes treat our lives. The other day a young man sped by me on a two-lane road. And I do mean sped, as in a high rate of speed. I said a silent prayer that I wouldn’t come upon his car wrapped around a tree. I did pass him 20 or so miles down the road. A state trooper had stopped him. I wonder if he learned anything about showing more care for his life. Somehow I doubt it.

I think death really is the only thing that awakens our minds, our understanding, that today matters. A co-worker hurrying home to have lunch with his wife slams into a truck pulling out from a side road. The end. No second chances. No goodbyes. Just a life cut short by a tragic mistake.

Or a blood clot weeks after successful heart surgery. No warning. Just simple conversation followed by … nothing. Death can be as quiet as it is sudden.

So our challenge is to do today what we mean to do “someday.” Our goal is to live our lives focused on Jesus, doing what is important and taking time to live intentionally. Easy? Not at all. But necessary once we come to understand our purpose and our reality.

So pass on the gossip and spread a little kindness. Cheer on your kids and visit your relatives while you still can. Toss a football around with a friend. Collect food for the local food pantry. And give a stranger a kind word just because you can. Live today as you always intended to live tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Replace Good Intentions With Action

Teach us to make the most of time, so that we may grow in wisdom. -- Psalm 90:12

Time is one of those elusive things. We never seem to have enough of it to do the things we must and we certainly can’t find enough time to do the things we should. So we wait for a better day, a better moment, a different season of our lives.

And it never comes. We have learned to fill our days with seemingly necessary tasks and to give ourselves to mindless things in a vain effort to find strength to begin again tomorrow. The days run on and on. Where, oh where, does the time go?

We meant to visit that friend in the hospital. We meant to take food to our elderly neighbor. We intended to volunteer with the Upward program. We planned to read the Bible all the way through. We intended to do something wonderful for someone else. We just never found the time.

And then our lives are over. Our health is gone and here we are with mounds of good intentions that never got done. Will never get done. Because we never found the time to do what was important while we still could.

This verse reminds me that the things that truly matter, those that have eternal significance, are worth my time and yours. We can turn the television off and read the Bible. We can give up a Saturday golf game or shopping trip to volunteer with one of the many outreach activities available through our churches and other charitable organizations. We can forgo a dinner out and visit a friend or neighbor or fellow church member who is sick or alone or in need.

Time is fleeting. May God always grant us the wisdom to find time for what is important. May we reach out to those who need a kind word, a visit or a call. May He convict us when we find excuses for not doing what we know we should.

Heavenly Father, open our eyes and make us aware of how we use our time. Let our moments be used to bring you glory and let our lives reflect your light outward toward a darkened world. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Put Time With God First

“But the guests he had invited ignored them and went about their business, one to his farm, and another to his store.” -- Matthew 22:5

What’s your excuse? What didn’t you have time for today? What did you mean to do but just never get around to doing? Did you pray? Did you read your Bible? Did you study it? Did you wait and listen for God to speak to you? Oh, you didn’t have time.

We all set our priorities each day. We may not have a to-do list. We might not even consciously make decisions about what is most important. But our choices through the day reflect our priorities. So we have time to facebook. We’ve got time for a nice lunch with friends. We’ve got time to take the kids to multiple activities. We have time to play golf or watch the football game or attend a concert.

But do we have time for God? Well? We mean to. We do. We have good intentions. It’s just that somehow God never seems to make it to the priority list. Until we need Him. Then He’s at the top of the list.

That doesn’t seem right or fair. How would we feel about a friend who only made time for us when they needed something from us? We’d feel used. We’d feel rejected. We’d probably reach a point rather quickly where we didn’t want to spend time with them at all. Yet God always takes us back. What an imaginable love that is!

The thing is we’re so busy with the things of life that it’s easy to lose our anchor. We get overwhelmed. We lose our purpose. We climb on the merry-go-round and it keeps speeding up, going faster and faster, when all we really want to do is get off and rest a while.

Because our anchor is God. He’s the One that keeps us upright when everything around us is falling apart. God is the One who reminds us that people matter more than things. God provides rest for our souls when we are so overwhelmed that we seem frozen where we are.

Pastor Rob suggested that we make a point of setting priorities each day. Otherwise, he said, the important things get crowded out by the things that seem most urgent. When spending time with God comes first, we have time for what’s important no matter what else the day brings. And we have strength to make it through. When we reserve time to come to God’s banquet, all the rest of life will fall into place. That’s what Pastor Rob said. Sounds like solid advice to me.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Choose God

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven -- Ecclesiastes 3:1

If you're like most folks, you lead a very busy life. There's work and school, kids and parents, homework and housework and a spouse who needs time. We've got televisions and cell phones, Ipods and facebook, all in an effort to keep us entertained, informed and connected to the world. It's all so exhausting.

How much time out of that very busy day do you spend with God? It's almost comical. Here come the excuses. Something, or someone, always gets shoved ahead of God. Yeah, I get that a newborn baby has needs that won't wait. And work is something you gotta do if you're keep a roof over your head. But -- news flash -- if you've got time to watch TV or go to the mall, you've got plenty of time to spend with God.

It all comes down to priorities. A television show or an hour with God? An online chat with a friend or reading the Bible? One woman explained that she needed to drop out of a Bible study because she simply didn't have the time. Why? This stay-at-home grandmother found she was so busy running errands and doing daily chores that she couldn't spare an hour a week for a Bible study. How sad is that?

What if God treated us the way we treat Him? How would we feel if He was too busy to listen when we had a problem? How would we react if He couldn't be bothered when we were sick or grieving or alone? He would never leave us, of course. And He always has time for us. Doesn't that make you feel the least bit guilty when you don't make time for Him?

Everything good comes from God. He created us. He loves us more than we can ever imagine. How can we not choose to spend time with Him each day? It all starts with a choice. Your choice. Today. Choose God. You'll be glad you did.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Make Time For Family

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:" -- Ecclesiastes 3:1

Time. It's one of those things we never seem to have enough of. Our days, and even our nights, are scheduled to the max. Everything is rush, rush, rush. It seems there's no time to just laugh and enjoy the people around us.

Our family gathered to celebrate my Dad's 81st birthday. My cousins and I shared stories of the family gatherings of our childhoods. We played together and celebrated birthdays and holidays together. We grew up knowing and loving one another.

The same isn't true for the younger generation. They don't know one another and the fault lies squarely with those of us in the older generation. Time. We never seem to have time to get together, to eat and laugh and play games. We never seeem to just sit down and visit and share parts of our lives with one another. Yet, what is more important than time spent with people you love?

My Dad's sister was almost one year younger than he. Eight days separated the siblings. Their younger brothers came 13 and 15 years later. Aunt Verlon died from cancer back in 1994. Uncle Gene, whose laughter echoed through our family gatherings, followed three years later. My cousins, all busy with their families, became orphans. The family was never the same. It was Aunt Verlon who brought us all together.

My own parents are growing older and their health is starting to fade. I know God has blessed me in having them this long and in such good physical shape. It doesn't make this transition any easier. One cousin said she didn't know which was harder: loosing them too early or having to watch them waste away from age. Both are heartbreaking in their own way.

We have time for the things we value. We schedule sports events, hair appointments, shopping trips. Why don't we schedule time with family? Why do we wait for someone else to step up and bring the family together? Why do we take for granted the people we value the most?

There is a time for everything. The Bible says so. We have time for each other. We just have to reach out and grab it.

Wise People Seek Him

"Where is the one who has been born king of the jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." -- Matthew 2:2

I wonder how many sermons today were on the Magi -- wise men -- and their journey? They followed the star until they found the Baby Jesus.

It seems a little strange in our world today. They weren't too busy. They weren't too tired. They didn't have something else to do. God called and they went.

Today we too are called to seek Jesus. It is a time commitment. It may require turning off the television. It may require closing a door and upsetting a family member. It may require adjusting our schedule. Jesus sacrificed everything for us. Why do we find it so difficult to sacrifice a little time to grow closer to Him?