Do You Have the Time?

 

Do you ever use the excuse, “I haven’t time”? Yes. Every day. Every week. Every month. Guilty. It certainly seems to be my catch phrase of late.

In going through some old folders of mine on my computer last night, I came across this quote by a writer of old, Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost for His Highest, and other books.

“We can hinder the time that should be spent with God by remembering we have other things to do. I haven’t time. Of course you have not time! Take time! Strangle some other interest and make time to realize that the center of power in your life is the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Well said, and yet difficult to do. I often find myself bemoaning the fact that I’m too busy and I haven’t time for hobbies I love or chores that need doing. But more often than not, I say I haven’t time for sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of Him.

But do I actually, consciously, make time? Do I ‘strangle some other interest’ in order to spend time in God’s Word, meditating on the Words of Scripture, soaking in the promises, worshipping and praising our great Saviour?

What if we started saying, “It’s not a priority”, instead of, “I haven’t time”? Do you think that would change things?

 I’ll say that again in case you missed it. What if we started saying, “It’s not a priority”, instead of, “I haven’t time?”.  

Because that’s really what it is isn’t it? A matter of priorities. If we deny ourselves some of the pleasures we like to indulge in, put away our phone and our favourite feed, put down that book, that hobby, even that chore, just long enough to take time out to spend with the Lord, our lives would be blessed beyond measure.

Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We know that the Bible tells us to seek Christ first. To put God ahead of any other worldly pursuit, but boy is it hard to do at times.

I know that as wives and mothers and grandmothers, we are pulled in every direction and our time is not our own. We are grateful if we can even get 5 minutes alone in the bathroom, uninterrupted. (This is one of the reasons I suggest putting up verses of scripture and helpful quotes on the wall of your toilet)

Making time to have a quiet time is crucial. It’s a high priority. It needs to be done. If we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and if we are to become the women God would have us be, then making time for Him has to be at the top of our to do lists.

I’m not perfect, and as a young mother and wife, I failed in this area each and every day. I neglected my spiritual life as I struggled to keep up with day-to-day life. I thought that my children and my husband needed to be attended to first. They were clamouring for my attention from morning til night.  And yes, they are important, but we are commanded in scripture to put God first. If we do that, then He will make sure that we have the time we need for others.

It’s plain hard work to get up a few minutes earlier, or stay up a few minutes later, just to have a quiet time with the Lord, but after so many years of my failings, and finally re arranging my priorities, I have found God to be faithful to His Word, and when I ask Him to help me make time for Him a priority, and I do my part, He answers and gives me those little windows of uninterrupted quiet time in His presence, alone with Him.

We all live busy lives and some more than others, and no, we don’t have time. We have to make time. Make time, as in cause something to exist or come about. It doesn’t just happen.

I don’t have time to sew and bake and take photos and spend time with my grandkids, but you know what? I make time for those things when I want to because I enjoy them. I make the effort to put aside other things in order to do the things I love.

If you want to become a woman after God’s own heart and you want to grow in your spiritual walk, if you want to have something to share with others, some verse that’s been a blessing to you, then you have to make time. You have to grab it with both hands and not let it go. You have to make sacrifices.

We make time to do the things we love. We make time to do the things that are important. And isn’t spending time with the Lord something important? Shouldn’t our hearts desire to feed on God’s Word and to spend time in prayer and study?

Psalm 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Did you notice in the quote I mentioned that Christ is the center of power in our lives? He is the power source. If we are not connected to the power source, we become weak and ineffective. We need constant recharging. And the way to do that is to spend time with God. Be in the Word daily. Be talking with God and listening to Him. Just like a mobile phone slowly drains of its power when unplugged from its power source, so will we be drained of our power and usefulness when we are disconnected from our power source, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Stay connected and stay charged! Strangle those interests in order to make time for God. Put aside those things pulling you away from spending time with Him and make Christ the priority.

The Lord knows your needs and what time needs to be given to the things in your lives. He understands that we are not to neglect our families and loved ones and the lost world in need of a Saviour, but oh how much more effective we can be if we make the time to listen to Him.

Seasons of life change, and you will find that at different times in your life you’ll have less time and at others you’ll have more time to spend in His Word, but He will bless you with your widows mite if given in sincerity.

I pray that all who are reading this, myself included, will take this as a gentle reminder to make spending time with God a priority. And not just any priority, the highest priority. The most important part of each and every day.

Spending quality time with God will refresh you and inject power and energy and strength into you that will help you to get back up and keep going.

Stay connected to the power source and stay charged!