Serving God vs. Serving Time

Time is precious. That’s all we have each day. Each of us have been given the same amount of time, and each of us have been given a measure of faith:

“…each according to his faith that God has assigned.” Romans 12:3

What we do with this time is often up to us.

This morning, I was struck with grief while praying, thinking about those who cannot choose. Friends and people in the world who are bedridden and cannot move. Would I still worship and give my all to the King in the same way if I were in their place? I don’t know.

But what I do know is what I can do now, each day, each precious moment. And that is to:

• Worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24)

• Be unashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16)

• Encourage and edify the body of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

• Go into the world as a herald representing the Kingdom of God (Matthew 28:19–20)

• Surrender to His will above my own (Luke 22:42)

That all sounds so good, right? Like the perfect answer we all want to give. Yet look at the church today. Too often, we are ruled by the calendar and driven by the ticking clock, with places to be and things to do.

Tell me, how can we truly serve the Most High if we are married to our own schedules? How can we come into the church building fully surrendered, vulnerable, and ready to receive truth that tears down false altars (2 Corinthians 10:4–5), when deep down we are only checking off a box on our weekend to-do list?

How can we say again and again, “Have Your way, Lord” (Isaiah 64:8), while scheduling fourteen things back-to-back until our minds are overloaded and our flesh takes over? God doesn’t just want our busyness; He wants us.

He grieves when His children are consumed with schedules and even “good” things, but miss Him (Luke 10:38–42).

He longs for us to be still before Him:

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

To be settled, surrendered, and quiet long enough for Him to speak, correct, and pour out His love.

So when will we stop lying to ourselves and truly offer our whole hearts to Him?

My prayer is that this would be our true desire—that we would become an honest and trustworthy people who will sacrifice our lives unto the Lord (Romans 12:1) and live out His will above all else.

Reflection for You

Take a moment today to ask yourself: Am I serving God with my time, or am I serving the clock? What’s one step you can take to slow down, be still, and truly put Him first this week?

Pastor Sarah Bell