Devotions and Dedications
When thinking of a hearty topic to write a devotional on, one word came to my mind: time. For us finite beings, time is our currency. We exchange it for paychecks, education, relationships, hobbies, and responsibilities. Yet in all our spending, have we considered the greatest investment we could ever make—our time with God?
Even our Lord Jesus Christ understood the necessity of spending time with the Father. On the very night He would be betrayed, arrested, mocked, and crucified, He didn't rush into the coming storm. Instead, He withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. If the Son of God saw communion with the Father as essential before facing life's greatest trial, how much more should we? Matthew 26:36 “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.”Now if you are a Bible scholar or reader you will know that only a few hours later in the same chapter he gets betrayed. Matthew 26:47 “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.”
Jesus' devotion to the Father was not something He began in Gethsemane—it was the pattern of His entire life. Throughout His ministry, He intentionally withdrew from the crowds to pray. Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Though multitudes sought after Him and countless needs surrounded Him, Jesus never became too busy to spend time with His Father. If anyone had an excuse to say, "I don't have enough time," it would have been the Savior. Yet He made communion with the Father His priority.
No matter what we go through no one will ever have to experience the sorrow and terror that Jesus had to go through, the betrayal, the burden, the sin, the pain, all of it was too much and yet on that very night mere hours before he chose to still spend time with his father.
Luke 2:46-49 “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” “And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” “And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” This account reminds us that we are never too young to seek God. Even at twelve years old, Jesus delighted in being in His Father's house. A heart that learns to seek God early is better prepared to withstand the temptations and distractions of the world later in life. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Perhaps one of the clearest pictures of choosing time with God is found in Martha and Mary. Martha was busy serving, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet listening to His words. Jesus said in Luke 10:42 “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Service is good, but fellowship with Christ must come first. We often tell ourselves that we'll spend time with God after work, after school, after the chores are finished, or when life slows down. The truth is, life rarely slows down. If we do not intentionally make time for God, something else will always claim it.
Time is the one resource we can never earn back once it is spent. We guard our money, our possessions, and our schedules, yet how often do we guard our quiet time with the Lord? Jesus showed us, from His childhood in the temple to His final hours in Gethsemane, that fellowship with the Father is worth making time for. Today, ask yourself: What have I been spending my time on, and does my schedule reflect that God is truly first in my life? Make time to open His Word, spend time in prayer, and simply enjoy His presence. You will never regret time invested in eternity.
Every day God deposits 24 hours into our account. We decide where to invest them. The greatest return will never come from the hours we spend building our own kingdom, but from the moments we spend with the King.
