BUZZZZZZ!!!!! Ugh, there goes the alarm. Someone must have messed with time, you are already running twenty minutes late. How did that happen? No time for casual conversation and definitely no time for intimacy. Just enough time to shout out a list of everything that you need done today.
You hop in the shower, get dressed and fix lunches. Did I sign that paper that you needed for class? What time is practice over tonight and what would you guys like for dinner? Forget it, don’t have time, I’ll figure it out. I have to get going.
Surprisingly traffic is lighter than normal. It would be a great morning commute if not for that one idiot – I mean individual – that just cut you off. You’d share a few choice words with them but that would not be very Christ-like. So, you just rehearse them in your mind as if He can’t read it.
You make it to work – amazingly on time – and set about the daily grind. You hate the job but it pays the bills.
Then you get a call: ‘How’s your day going? I was thinking about you? Do you have a minute to talk? I was thinking maybe we could do lunch today?' Your mental response … ‘Are you kidding?!? Don't have time ... way too busy!’ Your verbal response … ‘I don’t know, I’ll think about it, but I can’t talk now.’
About noon, you have a surprise visitor for lunch.
‘You never got back to me so I thought I would surprise you and we could spend lunch together.’ You barely acknowledge their presence and respond sheepishly, ‘Yeah, I meant to get back to you. Today is really not good for me. I have two meetings this afternoon and I need to spend lunch preparing for them. Their response is kind, as always. ‘That’s ok. I’ll see you when you get home. I love you.’ Uncomfortable with public displays of affection you respond, ‘Ok, I’ll see you at home.’
You muddle through the rest of your day, fight the evening traffic, pick up the kids, decide you are not cooking tonight, take a quick pass at the drive-thru for some fast food, tear into the driveway and bolt through the front door. Finally, you’re home! Maybe now you can get a break.
However, as soon as you walk through the door you hear,
‘How was your day?’
You think, ‘Do I really have to talk about it? I would much rather forget it.’ However, that thought is interrupted by the ring of your cell phone. Your friend absolutely has to talk to you right now. Yet someone is still waiting for your response to the ‘How was your day question?’. And they keep on waiting while you mouth, ‘I’ll talk to you as soon as I get off the phone.
Forty minutes later, the call has ended, everyone has inhaled their dinners and you turn your attention to the couch. Someone is still waiting for you and they gently say, ‘Come sit down, maybe we could spend some time together for a while tonight.’
Your exasperated response,
‘Yes, OK, but let me watch some television first and unwind a bit.’
One hour turns into three and then morphs into an evening nap. About 10:30 pm you are awakened by the dog. He desperately needs to go outside and neglecting his call is out of the question. So you get up and address the matter.
You climb the stairs up to your bedroom and as soon as you walk through the door you hear ...
‘You’re up! I didn’t want to wake you since you were resting so peacefully. The kids are asleep and I was thinking maybe you and I could …’
You interrupt that thought with a response that goes something like, ‘I am just too tired, I have such a busy day tomorrow, I have got to get some sleep. I promise, we’ll chat in the morning.’
You go to sleep.
But someone is not sleeping. No, someone is sitting up, watching over you like they do every night; desiring quality time, meaningful conversation and intimate moments – but facing yet another night of unfulfilled expectation. Even when you do make time for private pleasures, it comes across as the laborious duty that you think it is. Each time it is the same music, same garments, same tired and untidy location, same position and the same disinterest – unless of course it involves your personal needs and satisfaction. Each morning they get time only if you feel like it. Each evening they stand in line behind the kids, the chores, your friends, the television and even the dog.
Not quite the way He envisioned it when He gave His life for you.
Now, who did you think I was talking about?
‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ]; that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16
He gave His all -
Do we give our all?
Do we give our most?
‘This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave His life for us …’
I John 3:16
Why not show some love back?
Trailing on last week’s message,
‘Is He a priority in your day and life?
How do you demonstrate that to Him?
Why not sing a new song, an original one that you pen for Him from the depths of your heart, a new garment of praise? He doesn't mind if it isn't in key. It doesn't even have to 'flow'. Sincerity is all that He seeks.
Maybe a few lunch dates are in order – where you praise and worship & pray and listen & read and learn & sit and enjoy His presence.
Perhaps a change of location is in order. I am reminded of the time I took a break – some quality time for me and Jesus. I took the day off work, spent the day at the beach with Him, and got a hotel room where I could spend uninterrupted time praising, reading, praying, worshipping and just relaxing with the LORD. Don’t have the finances? It might be a good idea to get everyone out of the house for a couple of hours so you can have some quality alone time with Him.
Try a new position – when was the last time you lied prostrate in His presence?
Are you more concerned with giving or receiving?
Let’s concentrate more on Him and His will and less on us and our needs.
Just some food for thought –
Felt like we needed to camp out here for another week –
Making sure that our journey with God actually includes God –
Time with Him, quality time with Him, priority time with Him.
Have a Blessed Week!
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