Deadlines

Even as I’m writing this very devotional, my mind is fogged with deadlines. Deadlines on when that assignment is due, or when I have to submit that form or application. Even a deadline on when I have to submit this devotional to Pastor Hong for him to post on the blog. As we’re pressured to complete the things we have to do by a certain date, it’s so easy to forget why exactly we’re doing what we’re doing.

Maybe what I said isn’t so applicable for deadlines when we’re at school or work. After all, as long as what’s turned in is on time and it meets the quality standards, what’s the problem? But there is a danger to this when it comes to our precious time with God. For instance, I’ve scheduled my time for daily devotions and prayers in the mornings before school. I’ve noticed that on the days when I have no class right after my devotions, it’s easy to give all my heart and praise to God and read his Word sincerely and with genuine love. That’s because I’m not rushed in any way since I have an hour-long gap of free time between devotions and school.
However, on the days when I do have class, it is a monumental difficulty to not only do my devotions, but to not do it just for the sake of doing it. Not to skim and rush three chapters of the Bible just so I can keep up with the church’s reading schedule. Not to read the devotional book just so I can cross it off my to-do list. Not to pray a quick little prayer just for the sake of acknowledging God’s existence when I know He is worth infinitely more than that.

Is your time with God genuine? A lot of us are very busy in our day to day lives, so it’s very easy to consider the mere completion of what we do for God an accomplishment. But we only need to remember the undeserving grace of God to realize that the least we can do for Him is to give Him our very best. God isn’t our boss or our professor, He knows not only what we do for Him, but what’s in our hearts as well. You only need to read about the Pharisees to see how action alone isn’t enough. As Paul said to the Romans, we must present our bodies to be a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1) and to “let love be genuine” (Romans 12:9). So let’s do our best to make sure we spend time with God not out of obligation, but out of genuine love.

-Solomon