Living For Today

4-14-2009

We live in a world of I-phones, Blackberries, and tons of other types of scheduling devices, which ultimately leads to a life of extreme business. Before sitting down to write this devotional, I couldn’t help but notice how almost every second of my day is on a calendar. Someone could literally know where I am going to be at just about any moment! The advances in technology have enabled us to do more with the same amount of time. However, there is a downside to the fast pace world we now live in. Families rarely sit and eat dinner together, husbands and wives rarely go on dates, and friendships away from work for some seem like a distant memory.

James gives incredible advice about living for the moment. “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4: 14). Regret is one of the worst feelings in the world, so may I suggest we all start to prioritize? The typical person spends all of their left over time with the people they love the most. This isn’t done intentionally, and in most cases this is done with nothing but great intent. People are working hard to provide for their family, yet drive the very people they work so hard for away by accident.

Just as you become distant with friends, family, etc. your relationship with God becomes distant. As with any successful relationship, it takes work. We must schedule time to spend in prayer and reading God’s word each and every day, just as you schedule time for a business meeting. Here is the most important point I hope to get across: time with God is much more important than ANY business meeting! You cannot possibly love something you don’t know, and you certainly won’t know something you don’t invest time in. If you want to know Christ, invest the time to know Him, and until you do, everything you do will pale in comparison. When you know Christ, you will die to self and the world, and be born again. Once this life changing event takes place in your life, you will see the world through a completely different set of eyes. Invest in your God, your family, and the people you care about. Live a life of significance, not a life of business!

Application:
1. Read James 4: 13-17
2. Schedule time to read a devotional every day, put it on the calendar!
3. Schedule a date night every week for you and your significant other and turn the phone OFF during this time!
4. Make time for your family, friends, and loved ones even if it is only a phone call once a week.