My son came to me with a joke the other day.  “Mommy,” he said.  “I have a joke.  How do you make time fly?”

“Hmm…I don’t know, G.  How?”

“You throw a clock out the window!  Is that funny?”

“You bet!”

In reality, we don’t have to throw clocks out of windows to see time fly.  It just does it all on it’s own.  One day blends into another and another and before you know it an entire week/month/season/year has passed!  Which makes me wonder, what am I doing with this time?  Am I making the most of this daily gift God has given me?  Am I using the gifts and talents God endowed me with to show his love to others?

The honest answer to that is, not always.  Maybe, not even often.

Advertisers and corporations tell us that life is made up of the big moments–amazing vacations, huge life events, bold and daring adventures.  And while those can all be impactful things, the vast majority of our time is spent among the little things.  It’s getting up and going to work each day, shuffling our kids to various activities, sitting around the dinner table and sharing the day, quiet evenings at home sharing a show on the t.v.

I don’t know about you, but when I look at my “little things”, I want to make them count.  I want my daily duties to be as intentional and meaningful as the big moments.  If the majority of my time is spent at work and home, then I want to make what I do in those places count for something.  I want to know, at the end of the day, that I did my best with all God placed before me.

Here’s a verse I’ve been pondering the past few days:

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord.  “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blewaway. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.” Haggai 1:7-10

Haggai writes these words to the exiles who have returned from Babylon.  Instead of taking time to rebuild the Lord’s Temple, the people have become preoccupied with their own lives.  God is reminding them that He must come first.  It is He who will provide for their lives and their livelihood.  But first, the people must build His dwelling place.  

What this says to me, is that I need to live my day to day life with God at the center of my being.  And for me, I can’t do that if I am not spending quality time in the Word.  When I take time in the morning to enter into God’s presence and to fill myself with His Word, then time in my own life becomes more ordered and meaningful.

In taking time for God, I can make better use of the time He has given to me.

Am I perfect?  No way!!  Do I succeed in this endeavor every day?  Not a chance!!  Do I always make use of the time God has given me?  Nope!!  I sat on the couch and played Angry Birds for an hour and a half last night while watching the Olympics!  Not a great use of time.  However, I’m trying.  And I’m seeking, which is really the true beauty of our faith. God extends to us His grace every single day.  So open your day to God.  Open your day with God.  Because time flies, and it’s a ride I definitely want to be on.

Blessings and Peace,

Sara