12/28/2014 0 Comments Wasted TimeWhile on break from work and school, I have been able to spend quality time with family and friends. It has been such a great week and I am so thankful for the extra time I’ve had to make memories and grow relationships. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, full of friends, family, and most importantly, Jesus! This is the third week I am writing a post about my faith. I have to say I am really enjoying spending time each week reflecting on the Sunday morning sermons by writing about my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The topic of today’s sermon was about “wasted time”. Time is probably one of the most valuable things we have because it is not something we can return, rewind, or get back. Until time travel is accomplished, it is extremely important to appropriately manage our time. It is also imperative to realize that the time we spend on this earth is temporary and limited. However, what truly matters is how we spend our time here on earth.
Matthew 6:33-34 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”. Seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness. I don't know about you, but this really stuck a chord in me. As you probably know, my greatest passions in life are fitness and food (and I’m sure this is true for many of you, too). I can openly admit that these things have taken priority in my life for many years. Until recently, I constantly put fitness and food before my relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the past few weeks, I have made a strong effort to put my relationship with Him first. And guess what? I can honestly say that I am happier, more joyful, and less anxious than I have been in a long time! Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love building my strength, progressing in my workouts, and spending time in the kitchen, BUT I can now do all of these things with a fuller heart. And I owe it all to Jesus Christ and the opportunity He has given me to develop a deeper and stronger relationship with Him. It is such a good feeling to be able to continue to enjoy my favorite things in life, while seeking Jesus Christ first. A.W. Tozer explains it well, “It appears that too many Christians want to enjoy the thrill of feeling right but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of being right.” I think many of us want to put our faith first, yet something always seems to get in the way… School, work, gym, family, friends, sleep, chores, etc. Think about this: we are asked to do one thing with our “temporary time” here. That is to seek God first, before our other priorities and focuses. I’ve greatly struggled with this, as I know many of you do, too. Our pastor, Jay, clearly defines what this means, and how to do this. I hope this clarification can help some of you in seeking His kingdom and righteousness before anything else. God’s kingdom is considered to be “any and every place where God’s rule makes things right”. In order to achieve this task, consider this question in every circumstance: What would this be like under God’s rule and reign? Think about how you can influence your surroundings to be more like God’s kingdom. God’s righteousness is “right standing before God and right action as a response”. So contemplate this: What is your right role and responsibility? I am well aware that these questions are not simple, nor light-hearted. I encourage you to consider them over the next week and practice seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
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