2014 Devotionals

Time Well Spent

Time Well Spent
written by Pastor Glenn Dawes
http://tddm.org/Devotional/time-well-spent

Today, many of us call our time with God our “quiet time” or our “devotional time” and that’s perfectly ok.  In fact, that’s one of the reasons why TDDM was created for you.   In New Testament Times, they didn’t actually have a label for their time spent with God, they just talked with Him and hung out with Him.  In our super busy lives and crazy schedules it’s important that we take the time to spend with God.  Even Jesus took seasons of time out.  A person doesn’t have to get up at 3:00 am to have hours of “God time” before school but it is critical to make some time for God.

Funny isn’t it that if there’s something that really sparks an interest in us or looks like a lot of fun, no matter how busy we are, we always manage to fit it in ?  Kinda begs the question, where does my quality time with God fit into the whole scheme of things …. Hmmmm.

Here’s the deal.  Our relationship with God has to be fed.  When that relationship is fed and nurtured, it will grow and mature.  When you spend time with God each day talking to Him, spending time in His Word, noticing Him throughout your day – your relationship with Him really starts to flourish – it starts to define who you are.  Remember – whom you hang out with is whom you become like.

The reality is that every single day, you and I are either feeding our relationship with God or our relationship with the world.

Jesus said that feeding our relationship with Him and growing in our knowledge of God isn’t just something He wants us to do because it’s good for us or because it’ll make our lives better.  He says that knowing God is actually eternal life. 

That means that eternal life starts right here, right now as we get to know God.

John 17:3  “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Now there’s a concept – Eternal Life here on earth?  How does that happen?

As we invest time really getting to know God, discovering Him and understanding His heart some incredible things start to happen.  A process of restoration and renewal goes into effect.

We are spending time with the one who mends broken hearts (Psalm 147:3), and our hearts are mended.  We are spending time with the God of peace (Romans 15:33), and we experience peace in our messed up world.  We are spending time with God who is love (1 John 4:16), and we get love.  As we spend more time with God, the more we’ll experience things that we’ll experience in eternity. 

Guys, is this epic or what?  Bottom line – the crazy busy stuff of this life although some of it may be legit, doesn’t offer eternal life.  Let’s back off, re-evaluate, get on our knees, press the reset and see where God wants us to go with this from here.  

Prayers and blessings always,

Pastor Glenn