The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day four)

Time is a slippery thing. When we’re waiting in line or waiting for our shift to end, it can stretch on forever. On the flip side, I can’t be the only one that sits down to “quickly” check something on my phone, and later suddenly realize I’ve been scrolling for nearly an hour! Much more enjoyable are the conversations with a spouse or a friend that last for hours before we know it.

Time is challenging to keep ahold of. The misuse of time happens insidiously, often without us realizing it. The call to steward our time according to God’s purposes might be one of our most challenging callings as Christians. One of my constant prayers each day is that I would glorify God with my time and use it well. I desperately need his help to steward the time he’s given me. Not spending all my time on what is seemingly most urgent, but on what is most important. I want to spend my time doing exactly what God is leading me to that day.

Sometimes those are tasks, sometimes they’re long conversations. Sometimes it’s a longer time of prayer in the morning, sometimes it’s simply to rest. Ask the Lord to guide your time each day. It’s your most precious resource.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day three)

15Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

I have an hourglass on my office desk that serves as a reminder to me to put into practice what Paul is saying in this verse: “Make the most of your time.” Now, I don’t turn it over and time out the tasks I do or even really use it, but it serves as a reminder that I have a finite amount of time that God has given me on this earth. The hourglass is a call to action for me. It is a visible reminder that I cannot be apathetic about the time I have but must be wise with how I use it.

This call to action permeates everything about my life. I cannot be apathetic in my time as a father but must be diligent to lead my kids with the “teachable moments” of our days. I cannot be apathetic with my time as a husband but must engage in loving and serving my wife in whatever ways those situations call for. I cannot be apathetic about my time as a worker but must manage my time appropriately to accomplish the tasks that need to be done.

This list could go on and on, but the point is the same. God calls us to be diligent in following Him with our time. It is a call out of apathy into action. What areas of your time need to be redeemed from apathy today or this week?

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day two)

¹⁵ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,¹⁶ making the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

The key phrase in this Pauline Proverb has to be “do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” When you work with people as long as I have, you quickly discover that not everyone is designed the same. We are all uniquely called and qualified to work out our salvation in the way we were created to accomplish it. This can be frustrating for some. We can fall into a trap of trying to be like Brother A or Sister B. We can listen to sermons on what your time management  “should” look like. There are tools that help people manage the chaos of life, to be sure. I have used, and subscribe to a few currently myself. However, they are ways that help me manage what the Lord has given me; but the ultimate authority on my calling is the Lord. If you want to invest in ways to budget your time, I would encourage you, first, to turn to scripture; turn to prayer. There is a wise use of your time, and trusting the Lord to help you navigate the moment by moment and the big picture puzzles is foundational to that wisdom.

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day seven)

This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah. Psalm 24:6

I love playing hide-and-go-seek with my young sons. They like to hide in places where they think I can’t see them, like a lamp or curtains. They think because they can’t see me that I can’t see them, but almost always, a part, or most of their body is exposed. The only thing that is always covered is their face which is turned into a corner or hidden in their hands. They have hidden their face from me in an attempt to hide their whole self.

There is something intimate about seeking the face of someone. We can be present in the room, but if we don’t get face to face with them, we can still be  disconnected.

Do we seek the face of God? As we begin this series on stewardship, it is important for us to first look at our individual and personal connections with God. When we seek His face, we will enter into a place of deep and intimate connection with Him. It is that connection that will guide us as we navigate His plan and His will for our life, this church, and His Kingdom.

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day six)

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place? Psalm 24:3

Psalm 24 is not, at least directly, a psalm about stewardship, and yet it fits perfectly. It is a song that declares the greatness, holiness, and majesty of God, the King of Glory. Before Scripture ever calls us to give or manage resources, it first calls us to lift our eyes and recognize who God is.

As we begin our new series, Kingdom Generosity, we are not starting with money, but with identity. This series is about how we live as servants of the King of Glory. In God’s economy, stewardship always flows from belonging. Before we ask what we do with what we have, we must ask who we are and who we serve.

Psalm 24 serves as the perfect reminder. Ultimately, we discover that our identity as Kingdom servants finds its home in Jesus, who alone can ascend God’s holy mountain.

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day five)

I love Psalm 24:1. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.”
It is clear, concise, and straightforward. It leaves no room for questioning or debate. It eliminates any kind of speculation or challenging. It assigns ownership, priority, and significance to the right person- God. It calls for recognition, submission, and humility. It exalts the sovereignty and enormity of God. It presses against the ego and pride of the human flesh while drawing awe and amazement from a heart that has surrendered to the Lord. When reading this verse, is there worry or worship in your soul?  Is there conviction or confusion? Is there freedom or fear? The response will be telling.

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day three)

1The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.

The Psalmist begins this psalm with a declaration that the Lord is sovereign over all things. That’s a great place to start anything. It orients our reference point to the fact that everything belongs to God, and we are simply caretakers and stewards of that which He has given to us for our time on this earth. If everything the earth contains belongs to Him, then we actually own nothing. We tend to think of stewardship in terms of money, but it is so much more than that. We are called to be good stewards of many things, and I am excited to dive into this together.

As we collectively orient our stewardship reference point on this declaration of God’s sovereignty, may we remember well that our purpose is to glorify the Lord with all that He has blessed us with. God has called us to be good stewards of our time, relationships, finances, all of creation, our talents, our bodies, and so much more. The list could go on and on. Today, spend time orienting yourself to the frame of reference that everything is already God’s, and that you are simply a steward of what He has given to you. Is there anything in your life that needs confession and redemption back to His purpose?

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day two)

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. v. 1

Do you remember, as a child, visiting a fancy store, or someone’s house that had really nice things, and your parents warning you not to touch, or to take great care not to break or damage anything? There may have been a fear of having to pay if something was damaged, or that we wouldn’t be able to replace the item. Regardless, we learned to treat other people’s property with great care. This is a great reminder as we begin our stewardship study. The psalmist clearly states that everything belongs to the Lord, and therefore we must manage it with great care. The Lord has given us the responsibility to steward his creation, and we must do what we can to care for things that belong to him.