REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on April 29, 2016. Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“I Just Wish I Had More Time!”
Acts 20:7-12
On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Do you ever feel as though you just never have enough time to get to everything done throughout the day? Then tomorrow just brings another onslaught of demands and expectations? Don’t you wish you just had more TIME?
For many people, time is the most valuable commodity. If we just had more time, we’d feel as though we were more productive or accomplished. The truth is, time is the one commodity that all human beings have equally. That may not be the case with money or talent, but as for time, not one person has any more or any less. We say “24/7” because that is exactly what we have been given. So, how will you spend some of your precious time to grow in the Lord?
The early church came together on the first day of the week to celebrate the Lord and break bread together. In today’s passage, it looks as though, at least for this one day, the church spent all of their time hearing God’s teachings through Paul. Could you imagine spending the entire Sunday with your church engaging in the teachings of God?
NT Wright comments: “Many Christians will find, for all kinds of reasons, that Sunday is a difficult day to attend long church services. But we should remind ourselves that the earliest Christians lived in a world where Sunday was the first day of the working week, much like our Monday, and that they valued its symbolism so highly that they were prepared to get up extra early both to celebrate Easter once again and to anticipate the final Eighth Day of Creation, the start of the new week, the day when God will renew all things” (Surprised by Hope).
I’m not suggesting that we should turn our church services to 18-hour ordeals. But don’t you think that the more we spend time in the presence of the Lord and His Word, the more likely we will grow spiritually? And maybe, just maybe, we might even witness a supernatural miracle simply because we stayed long enough—imagine what that will do for our faith!
So the next time your church is inviting you to a weekend retreat, a 2-day conference, or even an hour-long prayer meeting, why not spend your valuable time in the presence of the Lord?
Prayer: Lord, I need Your help in prioritizing my time with You. All of my personal business and agendas demand my time, and I seem to give some leftover time to You. Help me in committing my best and my first day of the week to worship You and to learn from You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 20
Lunch Break Study
Read James 4:13-16: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
Questions to Consider
- What is the stern warning that James delivers to his listeners?
- Why does James warn the believers who are trying to make a profit?
Notes
- James warns the believers to not arrogantly assume that they will insulate themselves from difficulties by becoming rich.
- James reminds the believers that there is no way to predict the future; God alone controls it.
Evening Reflection
Did you spend time today in building up your relationship with God? To deepen your trust in Him? How do you plan to spend time tomorrow in order to see God at work around your life?
Reflect upon your day and seek God’s wisdom for tomorrow.