Today’s Scripture Reading: John 15:4-17
Spending Quality Time
We will be looking today, at a love language that is the proverbial Achilles heel in so many relationships – spending quality time with loved ones.
Very often, no matter how well we plan, we seem to be so limited for time.
Without a doubt, this has been one of the most contentious stumbling blocks in many relationships in this fast-paced, pop it in the micro wave and serve it on a disposable plate generation. Unfortunately, spending quality time doesn’t come packaged in microwaveable satchets.
Time is one of the most valuable commodities in human existence. It is finite in quantity (Time that is lost or spent can never be regained), but is infinite in quality.
We get paid for time, we get compensated for time, we get billed for time; time is a currency that is used as an indication of value or determination of worth.
Time is worth much more than words or money or even gifts. You need to spend time to speak words of affirmation, you need time to serve, you need time to give.
The wonderful thing about time — the poorest man on earth and the richest man on earth are both given exactly the same amount of time at the beginning of every day; neither is richer than nor poorer than the other. God gives us time to use similarly everyday.
God says in our scripture reading for today:
Abide in me…
Many of us will come up with one reason or the other to excuse our inability to find the time to do that. We don’t have enough time. We have so many causes competing for the little time that we have. God understands; or does He really…?
You will always have time for what you love, because you will always make time for what is important to you. Conversely, what you don’t love enough or value enough, you won’t have enough time for, nor make time for.
God loves to spend time with His children. Right from the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, we see this truth demonstrated as God would visit with them in fellowship everyday.
In like manner, God is always calling out and reaching out to us to fellowship with Him. It is natural to want to spend quality time with the ones you love. But please note the emphasis on “quality time”. You can spend time around or being about, and yet not spend quality time. Quality time is time spent with a person, decidedly, deliberately in heart to heart connection, with attention and care focused without external distractions, on the object of our affection.
When Jesus says “abide in me”, He’s not talking about the “forced” time we manage to chuck in His way as we rush through our agenda every morning, or the tired, pitiful time we manage to spare at the tail end of a busy day. He’s not even talking about the time we spend “doing” Christianity and being around Christian events and activities.
He is expressing God’s love language that seeks intimacy in time spent in fellowship; loving on God to the exclusion of external distractions. A place we stay in. A place we tarry in. A place where we are lost in the rapture of His presence. A time and place where nothing else matters except Him.
Have you ever been the subject of such attention from a loved one? How did that make you feel?
When was the last time that you made time like that available for God, just to be close to Him and give quality time to Him in Fellowship?
God has made room for you. He’s prepared a place for you in that secret place made ready for just you and Him to spend intimate time together.
How much longer will you keep Him waiting?
Dear friend I’d like to leave you with this thought as you begin this weekend:
DO NOT “make time” for God. You cannot make time for the author and creator of time!
The reason we don’t have time for God is simply because we have been trying to “make time” for Him…
You must take God out of your “other things left to do” box and let Him be the decider of the timing of your “other things left to do” list.
The Psalmist says to God: “My times are in your Hands”. You are supposed to yield time; to give up your time as a gift to God, and then let Him make time work for you as He pleases. When you do this, you will never be short of quality time to spend with God, and amazingly, still have more than enough time to be productive with what time you have left for other things!
Selah
Pastor Wale Ola
LIFE APPLICATION
1. What is God saying to me in today’s message?
2. What was ministered to me in the bible verses that I read today?
3. What are the changes or adjustments I need to make in my life to align with the word of God?
4. What is my commitment to the word for today?
5. What practical steps can I take to benefit from the word I have read today?
This Week’s Memory Verse: Romans 12:10
PRAYER FOCUS
I put my times in your hands O Lord
Please teach me to number my days aright that I may gain a heart of wisdom.
Take away every distraction that keeps me from abiding in your presence.
Give me the grace to continue to abide in You Lord.
Song For Today: When You Walk Into The Room – Jesus Culture