Prioritizing Correctly

Lots of people tell me that they would like to volunteer... someday. When they retire or when the children are older or when they have more time.  We all work in a priority universe. What we do with our time tells us our priority. If we spend all our time making money and non of our time on things that we say are important to us then we may be able to fool ourselves but not those around us, nor God who sees it all.

On the other hand, there are people who "go over the top" out of balance on doing good things to the detriment of their families.

Ray Steadman, beloved former pastor and author, of Peninsula Bible Church once related the story of a woman who came to him saying her marriage was "on the rocks". When the pastor inquired what she was doing with her time the woman piously said that she was teaching 10 Bible classes a week: days and nights.

Pastor Ray told her to "quit her Bible studies" and save her marriage. Being available to God does not mean that we are crazy and neglect the people in our own family.

Jesus was available to the crowds and helped many of those in his path but he also had his guys, the disciples. He had the best mother and He never forgot her needs even when He was dying on the cross. He turned her car over to John.

{ BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER, Jesus said.
 And from that time Mary was taken
into John's home. }

When we love God we will spend time with Him: we will pray and read the Bible not because we have to but because we want to. We will be available to serve people and help them because we are ready and full.

The Lord has the answers to our craziness. Do we trust Him enough to give him our hearts and our time?

When we are in the center of God's will He give us joy. This joy can never be bought with our own efforts nor money. Joy is a fruit of God's Spirit: Joy is a lasting paycheck!