Got Time?
How many years does it take to reach adulthood? I suppose it depends on the situation. In some cases, it’s 18. Other times it’s 21. And some people don’t seem to get to adulthood until they are well into their thirties – or later! Regardless, every person is busy growing up in some way! Even retired people are. The key issue at each age is to give it all you got. Start by knowing God better and learning His ways to a well-lived life.
Time is a treasure given to each person. Yet, time is often difficult for people. It takes time to grow, to change, and to build trust. Building a life data base of knowledge takes time, especially in this i-generation of technology. Developing character and wisdom takes practice in problem-solving. That takes time, too.
The passing of time is in God’s hands. Every season is in His over care. God uses time to train and shape His children. He teaches how to manage relationships and resources. It’s a privilege, really. Learning means you give it all you got. And this makes for an intentional life. At times giving all you have doesn’t seem quite enough, though. This is discouraging. Yet, even disappointments are in God’s capable, loving hands.
Time-Out to Give It All You Got
There are times a person needs to take a “time-out” to move past previous life seasons in relationships, habits, patterns, life losses, and character. Take this time to develop your life story, your e-pistle, into a credible example for others.
Whether it’s daily or a deliberate length of time set apart, time with God is a life-changer. Paul took time-out after His conversion to Jesus. God helped Paul privately prepare, reflect, and repair his perspective. Paul gave it all he had in his time-out. And when God put him into circulation, Paul gave it all he had in serving.
Paul was smart, knowledgeable, very religious, disciplined. He was a go-getter. He would have made a fabulous i-Generationer! (that might not be a word) Yet, when Paul chose Jesus as his first Love and Lord, it took him three years to be ready for the next season of serving. Three years of meticulously practicing God’s principles before being credible. That’s over 1000 days and nights! For a “get-up-and-go” person, that may seem like an eternity. Yet, Paul stayed where God planted him, and he consulted no one else as he remained in time-out with God. He busied himself where God put him till God decided it was time for the next season of Paul’s work. God wants you to train where He has you.
Time to Give It All You Got
After the three year time-out, God opened doors for Paul never opened before. Paul had responded beautifully to God’s training. He was ready to give it all he had for God’s agenda. His next wait was even longer. Fourteen years later, Paul went to Jerusalem to officially connect with the church.
During this visit, Paul took more time to get acquainted with Peter, the disciple Jesus named “the rock,” and with James, the brother of Jesus. Peter had been busy establishing Christ’s church. James was the steady leader of the fledgling new church. And Paul? Well, he was trying out new strokes he had been practicing in his long time-out. Now he wanted to spread his new wings. It was an exceptional, legitimate stretch for people to accept him because they knew the treacherous man Paul was before. He literally hunted down believers in Jesus. Paul knew he needed to prove himself – to give it all he had! And he also knew that training and changing take time.
Time is necessary to build strength, heal hearts, nurture patience, and forge tenacity – all needed to be a follower of Jesus. And these characteristics start by spending time-out with God each day.
Being part of this generation of highly technical professionals, we’ve been calling it the i-Generation, your part matters. Your life matters. Your choices matter. Whether you are at home or at a job location – God has a special calling over your life. Are you tuning in to hear Him? Are you alert to His training action steps that enable you to become His e-pistle to others through a well-lived life? Well-lived does not mean perfect. It means forgiven and surrendered for God’s purposes. Well-lived means making choices that addresses God’s interests over your own. It’s saying, “Lord, I love You back.”
Application Questions
- Are you spending time alone with Jesus daily? What is He teaching you?
- When you spend time in Scripture, do you envision how God’s principles look applied practically in your life e-pistle?
- How can you turn the attention of your current i-generation’s eyes to Jesus through your conduct?
- Do you know Jesus well enough to represent Him in a credible manner?
- Do you need time out to heal in some way?
Whether you are in a time-out or busy serving, it’s time for you to give it all you got?
Article developed form Gal. 1:18-24.
