Over the last several months I have been struggling with an ever-increasing trend in our culture today.  I think many of us are struggling with it…either watching it happen or experiencing it ourselves.  Our time is limited.  We all know that.  We invest our time in what we value and withhold it from the things we don’t value because there are only ever 24 hours in a day and 168 hours in a week.  So when we say something is important but then don’t give it much of our time, it sends a message we may or may not mean to imply.

Over the last several months, I have had numerous conversations with friends and family where they share with me that they love Jesus and His church.  Yet the investment of their time tells a different tale.  Why is it that so many of us only find ourselves in Sunday morning worship when we have nothing better to do?  If we’re busy, the first thing we drop is church.

Now let me be clear— I am preaching to the choir.  You may not believe me because I’m always at church (it’s kind of my job!) so how can I be preaching to myself about not being there?  I’ll be honest…there are some days that I don’t feel like coming, where I’d much rather stay in bed.  There are other days when I’m busy and the first thing that I cut from my schedule is quiet time with God.  So when I talk about the challenge of giving God the time He deserves, I’m preaching to myself as well!

It’s not that there’s a problem with missing church or a devotion every now and then.  I’m not trying to be legalistic here and imply you’re going to hell if you stay in bed one Sunday or decide to skip reading through Leviticus.  But I am questioning myself and you on what our actions say to God.  Do they line up with our words?

All throughout the bible, God talks about the “first fruits” principle.  When the Israelites are instructed to give back to God, He tells them to bring Him their first fruits.  The first and best of their crop.  The first…not the last…whereby they need to exercise trust in Him that there will be more in their harvest.   God blesses us with many things…even time itself.  So do we give God the “first fruits” of our time or what is leftover at the end of week?  Do we trust Him with our time whereby we consistently give Him a set time each week to worship and a set time each day to spend in His word and prayer, trusting that He will continue to bless us with enough time to get everything else done?

This week, are you giving God your “first fruits?”  Are you giving Him your best or the leftovers…of your time? Your talents?  Your finances?  Our words don’t always match our actions…but maybe they should.  Just something I’m wrestling through and think you should too.

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Jan