Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 18: Offer My Time”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Time…Begin with the end in mind.
Perhaps you have heard of the story of the jar and the big rocks. Laid out in front of a class was a quart glass jar some large stones, some medium size, some small size and some sand. The teacher asked the class to evaluate if all the stones/sand that was on the counter would fit in the jar. Most students were skeptical. The teacher invited them to try to get everything to fit. In different order students put the materials in the jar…most had some left on the outside of the jar.
The teacher then demonstrated how to get all the stones and the last grain of sand to fit in the jar. The big rocks had to go in first, then the medium, then the small, then the sand.
The lesson wasn’t just about special awareness, but it was a demonstration of importance awareness. If the big stones of importance don’t make it in the jar first, they just won’t fit.
So what are the big rocks of life that are worth spending your time on?
One way to discern this is to follow the second habit of Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of highly Effective People: “Begin with the end in mind.”
Time can get filled with the sands of life. Many tasks can fill our days, weeks and years, but one must ask, “Are these tasks the important tasks?”
There is no doubt that Jesus wants us to spend our time on the important tasks. So what are the “big rocks” to put into life first?
Perhaps this parable of Jesus helps discern what those big rocks are.
Luke 16:9 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
The richman had all the treasures of sand filling his jar and he had not time for the important rocks of a relationship with Jesus. Lazarus had physically little with which to fill his jar, but he had the big rocks of trust in Jesus to secure an eternity in heaven.
He lived with the end in mind and spent each day connecting to the Lord.
The lesson? Make sure the big rocks of faith and connection to Jesus fit in your daily jar of life!
Apply: Evaluate what activities in life are getting different priorities. Are they aligned to an eternity in heaven? What stays? What changes?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your helping us to remember to live each day with the end in mind. With the knowledge that you love us and desire to spend eternity in heaven with us, help us to arrange our time each day to make sure each day has “big rock” time with you! AMEN.