What do you focus on?

What takes up a lot of time in your day?

We have a lot of things vying for our time. Generally, you can tell what is most important to you by what you spend your time on. Do you spend your time working? Do you make time for your family? Do you spend time in nature?

But, I don’t have time!

People often talk about things they wish they could do…if they only had time. The truth is, though, that they usually do have time. They are just spending it doing something else.

I used to go hiking and camping several times a year. Now, however, I don’t think I’ve done either for years with the exception of my family’s summer vacation. Sometimes I lament that I don’t have time to do it. However, it struck me the other day as I saw on Facebook yet another hiking trip a friend was going on. I realized that it wasn’t that I didn’t have time, it’s that I chose to use my time in other ways.

How do you spend your time?

I may not be hiking much, but that’s not to say that what I spend my time on is bad. They are, at least mostly, good things. So, it’s not necessarily a question of good against bad. It’s often a question of what is most important to you.

Here’s Moses is telling Israel (and God telling us) that God should be foremost on our minds and saturate our time. It’s not that we can’t do other things, but God should be a part of them. We should also always look for ways to spend time with Him in Word and prayer and talk about Him with others, especially our kids.

In the end, all the other good things we do will perish. Only God is eternal. The time we spend with Him and sharing Him with others will have eternal consequences. 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the many good things You have blessed me with. Help me, however, not to get lost in all these good things and forget to spend time with You. Help me not only to set time aside to be with You but to see You in all the things I do and to talk about You in all the things I do.

Amen.