Last week we did a church-wide effort to fast and pray for this quarter’s church life and events. With a women’s conference, a teen/young adult conference, and a retreat for pastors’ wives in these first three months, there were plenty of events to cover in prayer. We prayed for strength and endurance for the organizers of the conferences, clarity and wisdom for what needs to be done, greater freedom for the Spirit of God to move in hearts, lives and bodies during the conferences, and more signs and miracles to be seen in this quarter. That night, interspersed with times of worship through song, were times of led prayers and times of group prayer. But toward the end our pastor began to ask individuals what they were hearing from the Lord after these days of fasting and prayer.
There were a variety of responses, and I expect that when God speaks – no matter how “out there” a response may seem to be – it ministers to someone present. I was intrigued, though, with how many of the number of the responses dealt with time. People pointed out that the time [before Jesus’s return] was short and we must continually be living with our lamps filled and our oil ready because we do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:1-13). Others talked about how God was pointing them toward ridding themselves of distractions (even an 11 year old boy was given this message!!) and being more focused on time with God. The idea of spending more time in God’s Word and in prayer – to intentionally carve out time in our daily lives to read, study, and meditate on the Word and to speak and listen to God – was recurrent.
The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us,
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-8 NIV)
These “times” mentioned in this scripture are true across all places and eras. Whether or not you believe Jesus’s return is within the next few years or decades or is still a long way off, time spent with God is never wasted. Prayer, fasting, study of the Word, and other spiritual disciplines always bear fruit in our lives and, therefore, as we interact with others. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11 NIV). I know that I want to be righteous and peaceful and that the effort put into spiritual disciplines is worth it.
As one man in our prayer group said, “Money is renewable resource, but time is not.” May our time be used well, always keeping watch for our Lord, for the glory of God and to further his Kingdom.
God,
Thank you for the many seasons in life and for the opportunity to live each one for the glory of your Kingdom. Thank you for the message to put aside distractions and focus our time on you. Thank you for your continued invitation to grow closer to you through the Word, prayer, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines. May we embrace this opportunity to grow in righteousness and peace as you train and discipline us. Help us to always be ready for your return, no matter when that may be, and to use our time well. In Jesus’s name we pray, AMEN.
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:1-13 NIV)