The important can sometimes interrupt the necessary, the temporal can at times hinder us from the eternal.
“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” (Prov. 31:15) In certain seasons of our lives, whether by our own volition or by circumstances pressed upon us, the temporary, earthly matters can consume the majority of our day, and the one who desires to serve the Almighty will find themselves not only frustrated by those important items, but by the lack of time able to be spent in the Word of God.
We treasure that time, whether it is only for a few moments, a few verses even, or for an extended period of time, for it is a blessing to be able to have in our possession the words of God. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Without time spent studying the Scriptures, that light will grow dim, and the path may not be as visible to us. Without time spent seeking the face of God in His Holy word, our steps my not find firm footing.
The mind that is preoccupied with the Lord finds little value in the things of the world, in those temporary items that we know will not last, and the one who recognizes this truth fully understand Genesis 3:19, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Let us move away for a moment from how much time you spend in the Scriptures and instead contemplate this question, how much time do you spend desiring to be in His word?
There are many theologians who are quite literate in the Scriptures, who spend large portions of their lives studying the Word of God, yet who are not saved. There are those who open that precious book every Sunday morning to the verses they are told will be the context of that morning’s sermon who never once turn to a page in it during the rest of the week. The cares of the world, those weeds, thorns and thistles can quite easily choke a person when they do not even realize it. The important becomes the necessary, striving to gain or keep that which they have purposed becomes the path they travel, and too late do they realize that they were on the wide path all along.
The path of life requires time spent by desire in the Word of God, seeking His face for His glory, relishing in every word that leads to the knowledge that He blesses us with, and those necessary items of the world, though many actually needing to be accomplished, become a burden to our souls as we wipe that sweat off our brows.
I envy in a way not sinful those that have the capability to memorize Scripture verses, sometimes hundreds of them, for they have been blessed to carry the words of life within them. The question must be asked, and contemplated deeply within you, do you find within yourself a strong desire to be in the Word of God, or do you simply save reading it for certain times, and only briefly then.
What calls you more, the world or the words of life, where do you spend the majority of your time, fulfilling the temporary, necessary things or the important, eternal ones?
Sometimes we may feel there is little choice, but there is always a choice my friends, what we believe is important is where we will fill our time.
If there are required classroom times in heaven to learn the Scriptures, will you have time to enjoy that place, or be learning?
