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As a young Christian, I was taught the
importance of spending personal worship time alone with God every day. I
was encouraged to speak to His father's heart, honestly sharing my hopes
and dreams, my needs and concerns. Just as importantly, I was to listen
for His reply as I meditated on and memorized His words to me in
Scripture. My service for Him is always to be the overflow of my walk with
Him.
In the beginning, it seemed like another of the duties of the
Christian life. If I only had time to give the Lord a few minutes in the
morning (or missed several days altogether), well, I was busy serving Him
and fulfilling my spiritual duties in other ways. The fact is that I
didn't always want to spend time with God in the morning. Still, I wanted
to want to. I wanted to have the kind of spiritual hunger for God's
presence that wouldn't be satisfied with a hurried morning snack. So I
continued to pray, "Lord, create within me an appetite for spending time
in your presence." Eventually, I found that my emotions followed my
obedience. In Desiring God, John Piper speaks beautifully to the question
of our motivation for spending time with God:
The real duty of
worship is not the outward duty to say or do the liturgy. It is the inward
duty, the command—"Delight yourself in the Lord!" (Psalm 37:4). . . .The
reason this is the real duty of worship is that this honors God, while the
empty performance of ritual does not. If I take my wife out for the
evening on our anniversary and she asks me, "Why do you do this?" the
answer that honors her most is, "Because nothing makes me happier tonight
than to be with you."
"It's my duty," is a dishonor to her.
"It's my joy," is an honor.
How shall we honor God in
worship? By saying, "It's my duty"? Or by saying, "It's my joy"?
Worship is a way of reflecting back to God the radiance of his
worth. Now we see that the mirror that catches the rays of his radiance
and reflects them back in worship is the joyful heart. Another way of
saying this is to say "the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying
him forever."
As a result of becoming consistent in the time spent
with the Lord each morning, you will begin experiencing His presence
throughout the day in a fresh and vital way. This is the kind of daily
walk that enables us to experience the promiseswe have in Scripture.
Promises like:
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When we are confused, God will guide us. We can
rely on Him to help us make the right financial plans and investment
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decisions. He promises, "I will instruct you and
teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch
over you." |
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When we are afraid, God will protect us. The loss
of a job, an inadequate retirement nest egg, or turbulent investment
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markets can cause us to fear for the future. But we
can take heart from His invitation: "Cast all your anxiety on Him
because He cares for you." As we trust in Him, He will protect us
and give us a confidence that overcomes our fears. |
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When we are discouraged, God will encourage us.
It's not easy staying on a strict budget when there are so many
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we'd like to provide for our families or
enjoy for ourselves. And it takes resolve to stick with a long-term
investment plan that doesn't seem to be getting the job done. When
we're struggling with disappointments, God tells us "Do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you
go." "I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand." |
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When we are hurting, God will comfort us. Although
God is ever with us, He reveals His presence in special ways when we
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really need it. "God is the source of every mercy
and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so
that we can comfort others." |
In practical, everyday terms, how does God fulfill these promises?
Sometimes by changing the circumstances, but more often by changing our
perspective. He wants to guide, protect, encourage, and comfort us—through
His Word, through prayer, and through the leading of the Holy Spirit as we
spend times of intimacy with Him. Our Father is waiting to open the eyes
of our hearts so we may see—and delight in—His love and faithfulness. May
we joyfully seek Him out!
How much time do you spend with God
during an average week? If you spend all your discretionary time without
including time with God, are you seeking first the kingdom of heaven?
Jesus teaches that we cannot serve God and the world (mammon) - we must
serve one or the other. In Matthew 6:24, 33 Jesus says: "No one can serve
two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else
he will he loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God
and mammon. ... But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you." And for those who seek the
kingdom of God first He says: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its
own trouble." (Matt. 6:34)
Take a minute and figure up how much
time you spend with God in an average week either in private, in Bible
study, or gathered with the saints. Now calculate how much discretionary
time you have in an average week. A person who works sixty hours a week,
sleeps 57 hours a week, and spends 25 hours a week to accomplish chores
and other necessary tasks, has 26 hours of discretionary time per week.
This person has 26 hours to waste, watch TV, spend on hobbies, etc. How
much discretionary time do you have in an average week and what are you
doing with it?
Of course, the first thing
that comes to mind is going to church. This is one of the best ways to
spend time in devotion and service to God. While assembled with the saints
we sing, pray, study, give, and partake of the Lord's Supper. Singing,
praying, studying, and giving (personally, apart from giving to the church
treasury) are additionally done outside of the assembly. But giving, as
commanded in the church, and partaking of the Lord's Supper are done in
the assembly. Although we do these things together, we do them
individually to the Lord. So, just because we show up at the assembly does
not mean that we have worshipped God. |
