Our days are often filled with questions about time, about trying to juggle all the activities in our lives.
When we begin to list all the things we've got going on, it can sometimes feel overwhelming, oppressive even.
We like to think that our schedules are so busy. But, oftentimes, we're busy not with necessities but with things we've decided to add to our life.
No one forces our schedules on us.
No one makes us work the job we do. No one demands our kids be in sports year round. No one forces us take up the hobbies that fill our evenings.
We choose those things because we must think that they are the best ways to spend our time.
If there were better ways, more important things, then we would quit doing what we don't have to do and instead do those things that make for a better life.
But what's sad is that the choices we force upon ourselves are often not the wisest. We fill our schedules with things that add nothing to our lives, that sometimes even rob our lives of good things, and in the end miss out on things that could make our lives rich and full.
Let me show you one rich treasure that is often the first neglected in our busy world --- the Word of God.
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Psalm 19:7-11 - "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."
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When our lives get busy, what is one of the first things we cut out?
Not the project. Not sports. Not more hours at the office. Not our hobbies.
We cut out God's word.
But look at the great value found in God's word. A rich treasure that nothing in this world can match.
Here's what God says about his word...
- perfect
- revives the soul
- sure
- makes wise the simple
- right
- rejoices the heart
- pure
- enlightens the eyes
- clean
- endures forever
- true
- righteous
- desirable
- protect
- great reward
What else in this world can make all those promises?
Yet the Bible is the thing we don't have time for???
How in the world do we make time for anything else!
What TV show can match that promise? What hobby could equal that blessing?
We'll drag our families to the ball field where we will spend hours, but when's the last time we sat at the dinner table reading God's word for longer than 15 minutes?
We'll come home late because we had to make a little extra in our paycheck, but where's the investment in the treasure of God's word that he says is more desirable than any gold or silver your job might provide?
Don't have the time?
We don't have the time NOT to do these things.
Our lives are short and yet through the Word, those lives can be richly blessed. We can flourish. We can feast.
Instead our homes are a place of famine. A famine of the Word of God.
Our marriages are rocky. Our children don't know the Lord. Our house is not really all that different from our godless neighbor's.
We are robbing our children and our families of the great treasure that God has laid in front of us. The rich blessing that can turn our home into a place of raucous feasting and fun.
Look at those promises God makes about his word.
What else can match those? What activity can even compare to those promises?
Today, may our eyes be opened to the great value in God's word. May we not fit the word into our schedule but may we force our schedule to fit around time in God's word. May we be willing to make great changes, dropping any activity or commitment that is stealing from our time in God's word. May time in God's word be the foundation that everything else is built on, not the thing we throw into our day if we have any time left over.
We will not regret it. That's His promise.
Do you have anything better to do?