saltandlight

I heard a message recently preached from Luke 5:17-25.  This is the story about the men that were trying to bring their friend to Jesus.  The friend had a palsy and was unable to walk. When they were unable to get to Jesus through the door, they climbed on top of the house and lowered him down from the roof.  They did what they had to do to get their friend to Jesus.

While listening to the message and reading these verses, I thought ‘am I that kind of friend’?  Am I doing all that I can do to bring people to Jesus?  I don’t think that I know very many people that would have done that.

This world is so fast paced.  We are all in such a hurry to get to the next place we need to be.  We can’t even sit through a church service without thinking about what we’ve got to do when we get home.  We don’t have time to be worrying about our neighbors or friends! Who even has time for friends!?  We don’t even take the time to take care of our own spiritual well being. Much less helping our friends.

And if we aren’t getting fed spiritually, and we’re not spending time alone with God, we aren’t much good to anyone else anyways!

What God has been really pressing on my heart lately is how busy we all are.  I notice in my own life that when I slack off on my Bible reading and time alone with God, I’m not much good to anyone.  I leave myself wide open to Satan and his attacks.  I find myself giving into temptation to do things I know I shouldn’t do.  I have to take that time alone with God. (I’ve also noticed that the more time I spend alone with Him, the more I get out of the worship and preaching and teaching at church.)  We can’t be too busy for God!  When we leave Him out, we aren’t hurting Him, we are hurting ourselves!

We are driven more by fear, debt, loneliness, our children, our responsibilities rather than being led by God.  All because we do not go to Him.  We try to take on all of these problems and responsibilities as if we have to carry them by ourselves!  We have an almighty God willing to carry the load.  He can handle it all a lot better than you and I can!  But, in trying to do all of this ourselves, we stay busy.  Busy with work, church, kids etc.  I don’t know what y’all are busy with, but those are the things that I am busy with.  And those are not things that I can do away with.  It’s not like I can quit my job, and I sure don’t need to quit going to church!  It’s about prioritizing.  We can get alot more accomplished if we take a few minutes a day to talk it out with God.  Give it all to Him, and ask Him to direct our steps.  And worship Him!  I listen to christian music at work alot and sometimes I have to stop what I am doing and just worship Him for a minute!

Listen, I know how easy it is!  Believe me I KNOW how easy it is to get busy and not take the time with God that is needed.  Satan makes sure to make it very easy.  He fills our calendars to the point that we are exhausted.  But, I also KNOW how much I need it!  Yes, there is work to be done, everywhere we go.  At work, at church and at home. I KNOW! But, there is a much greater work needing to be done in our hearts.  That takes priority over everything else!  Don’t you want to be the best you can be?  The best Mom?  The best wife (or husband)?  The best at your job?  Then seek Him first!  He is the only one that can truly help us and truly understands us better than anyone else!

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33