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Priorities

Muriel Larson

A relative of mine was a professor at a Christian university, but he seemed to have lost his love for Christ. “Tell me,” I said, “do you spend time with the Lord every day?”

He stared at me. Then he snapped, “I don’t have time for that. Besides, I get enough Bible preparing lessons for one of the classes I teach.”

Then I knew why he had lost his love for the Lord and why earthly things seemed more important to him than heavenly things.

Do we get so busy doing things “for God” that we excuse ourselves for not spending time with Him? Do we sense this is happening in the lives of other church members, family members and friends? Christians who aren’t putting Christ first in their lives lose their motivation. They fail to do their work for the Lord to the best of their ability, and they do not experience His guidance and leadership.

When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening and learning, while Martha bustled about, serving. Martha became exasperated with her sister, who she thought was wasting her time and being idle. “Lord,” she complained, “don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha,” Jesus answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-41).

No matter how busy our days may be, our prime priority should be setting apart some time each day to spend with God, sharing our personal burdens and our concerns for others, as well as reading His Word. When we take this time for the Lord, He gives us wisdom to order our days so that we will also have time for everything else that is really important. Jesus told His disciples to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Muriel Larson is a freelance writer from Greenville, S.C.

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Last modified January 31, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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