Saturday, June 12, 2010

Earn $1000 an Hour by Gail Purath

Week 24--June 13-19
Scripture Reading:  Esther 7-10; Job 1-18; Psalm 82-85
Key passage for devotion: Psalm 84
Do you have difficulty finding the time to read your Bible every day? I do. The demands of life fill up my schedule, and just when I sit down the phone rings or a family member has a need or I remember that I promised to do a task that needs to be done right away.

Years ago, I heard a teaching that goes something like this: Imagine that the following announcement appeared in Sunday’s bulletin:

“Wealthy Christian has offered to pay $1000 a day to all church members 
who spend 1 hour a day reading the Bible. Please sign up after church.”

Would you sign up? Would you somehow find that extra hour every day? I would.

Think about what that means…I am more motivated by my love for money than by my love for God!! I’m ashamed to write that sentence.

What will reading my Bible daily do for me as a Christian? It will:
  • Draw me closer to the Creator of the Universe
  • Help me experience more of God’s love
  • Build my relationship and my trust in God
  • Give me wisdom to deal with life’s problems
  • Give me joy in the midst of my problems
  • Give me faith to fulfill God's purposes in my life
  • Give me a peace that passes understanding
  • Give me comfort during difficulty
  • Instruct me when I have decisions to make
  • Give me knowledge and wisdom to help others
  • Help me deal with sins in my life
  • Make me a better mother, daughter, sister & wife
And that’s just a partial list.

Now why would I need $1000 to motivate me to read the Bible when it has all of these benefits already?

I think that we are dealing with a serious sin in the American church called "busyness." Some Christians are too busy because they are pursuing money and pleasure. Other Christians are too busy because they start too many projects or take on too many "good" responsibilities.  Others are too busy because they foolishly waste their time.  I have been guilty of all of these things at one time or another.

Which brings me back to that imaginary announcement in the church bulletin. It puts it all into perspective, doesn’t it?  It reveals that we will make time for those things which we think are important.

Will you take time to honestly answer these questions with me: If someone were giving you $1000 for spending an hour a day in God’s Word, how many days would you miss? Would you overcome the busyness in your life in order to earn that money? Would you better prioritize your life and cut some things out of your schedule? Would you turn off the TV or computer or put down the sports page a little sooner? Would you think of ways to remind yourself so you wouldn’t forget?

If your answers to these questions make you ashamed, would you pray the following pray with me:

Dear Lord, forgive me. Help me to see what truly matters in my day, in my week and in my life. May my love for You motivate me more than any other thing in life. Please bring me to the place where I can honestly say:
My soul yearns, even faints, 
for the courts of the LORD; 
my heart and my flesh cry out 
for the living God…
Better is one day in your courts 
than a thousand elsewhere… 
Psalm 84:2,10

Gail maintains the WOW blog.  She loves the Lord, but not enough!

5 comments:

  1. Gail,
    Thanks for the "tough" reminder of our busyness and how it can take us away from the Lord. May we all take another look at our schedules so we can put God first each day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Thanks, I needed that!" Thank you, Gail.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Gail, for reminding me of setting my priorities. I have more time, but I don't always use it wisely.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gail, you have touched on a subject that I am guilty of also. Thank you for bringing perspective back to me.

    Peggie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for bringing to light a subject that I also have been struggling with this summer. I'll try to put more effort into my studying. Blessings.

    ReplyDelete

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