Thursday, February 4, 2010

The Value of Time

Hey everyone!

Ok so I haven't posted about my weight loss because between family emergencies and getting the worst flu/cold/I don't know what in all of history, I haven't been to the gym, and I've pretty much eaten all things creamy that would make my throat better...somehow my family still says I'm looking thinner, but I'm not really buying it...Anyway I had promised that I'd also share with you things that God has impressed on my heart, so here goes!

Last week (was it last week? time flies) President Obama visited my alma mater to discuss multiple issues, including the high-speed rail system that is about to begin in our area. Now, I'm not going to discuss politics, though I think it's safe to assume how everyone among my current followers feels about him. That is not the issue I want to talk about though, what I want to share with you is what God wants us to consider about time.

One of my professors, Dr. Beckman, argued that no matter where we stood politically regarding the president, we should still be proud that our current leader, whoever he may be, chose the University of Tampa to hold his town hall meeting. This was the first time a sitting president came to our university. He also told me that President Reagan came to the Bay Area but instead spoke at USF...which was a major disappointment at UT. This professor is also a graduate of the university, so we did have to share the pride for a moment that someone so important chose our humble little campus.

But I had to ask myself one question. Would it have been so awesome if Obama came while he was a US congressman from Illinois? What about a community organizer in Chicago? Or a constitutional law professor? Oh, the students would have come to hear him speak, sure, if they were assigned by their own professors to do so, or if they were just that much into politics of law...But now the he's the president! Well well well!

What has changed? He's still the same man he was as a professor in law school, as a vibrant young community organizer, perhaps even as a class leader in elementary school, for all I know. The only thing that has changed is the density of his schedule. We value that he took the time out of his busy busy schedule to come to our relatively small, quaint campus to meet with the students and faculty, and anyone else who lined up for a ticket. The only thing that has changed, is how much time he has.

Now I want that to really sink in. take a minute and think that over.

Now, we serve God. Creator and King of the Universe. Planets, stars, the sun and moon, all rotate at the speed He dictates day in and day out. Every hair on our heads grows (and falls out) as He calls it to. Every bird and animal comes and goes as He pleases. God is quite busy.

Everyone knows of Him...or some idea of Him...they may not acknowledge or know that it is Him, but even scripture says that

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4a)

So, everyone (who doesn't live under a rock), by seeing the earth around him, has at least entertained the idea that there was/is some sort of creator...they know there's some sort of decider of right and wrong...or however they want to put it. They may not call him God, but they know there must be something.

So, God is known, to some degree, to many, many people. In other words, He's kind of a big deal...

And not only is He available to us, He desires to have a relationship with us. Think of it as having the president's cell phone number on speed dial, knowing that even if he's in some huge meeting, he'll step out to take the call. God is near us when we call out to Him, and yet we take Him for granted.

Why is it that we have to be "assigned" by our "teachers," (Bible Study teachers, Pastors, even televangelists...whatever, etc.) to meet with Him? Why is it that when we are in a "prayer group", everyone hesitates to be the one to lead the prayer? Why do we think about our quiet times as time cut out of our schedule, rather than time we are priviledged to spend with our King? God wants to spend time with us, and when He's with us, we have His undivided attention. So why do we always stand Him up at the times He wants to prepare to meet with us?

Please do not think I'm trying to judge anyone...I'm just as guilty, if not moreso, as anyone else.

We need to thank God, each time we think of it, for desiring relationship with us and never failing to be at our side when we need Him.

Just a little food for thought, hope it fills you up!

'Til next time!
God Bless you all!