THE GIFT OF TIME                    

TIME is a gift from God...but it isn't always seen as a gift.  We take it for granted...we waste it... we carry on as if TIME stands still when we need it to and that we are given unlimited opportunities to complete tasks when and if we are so inclined...but TIME waits for no one!...It is fleeting!  We forget that we can NEVER relive those precious minutes previously encountered.  How many TIMES have you put off seeing a friend or a family member because something else took priority over your schedule and that visit just didn’t seem to be as important as the items on your to-do list?  It happens all of the TIME!

Our lives are filled with so many obligations and events that it's easy to get caught up and often overextend ourselves. That's how we miss out on the truly important things!  There are several reasons why we should view the TIME that we have been given as a gift from God.  One of the most important reasons is that God wants for us to make TIME for Him.  He wants us to sit at His feet and to connect with Him. He wants us to know that He loves us and that He will give us the desires of our heart if we trust and believe in Him. He also wants to know that we love Him. That we are grateful for His presence in our lives and that we are thankful for all that He has done.  Developing this kind of personal relationship requires our TIME.

 God also wants us to take the TIME to show love and kindness to others...our family members, friends and even those whom we may have just laid eyes on for the very first TIME!!  We are to set aside TIME is to pray, to study the word of God and to be Disciples of Christ.  We are to share the "Good News"of Jesus Christ, whenever possible. Many of us try to accelerate through TIME, in an attempt to forget about past hurts and trials that left us in pain and anguish.   We want to push past all the bad stuff and get to a better place...in a hurry!  We have to realize that in God’s perfect plan, (which is very different from our own) TIME is to be used for healing and for making the necessary personal changes needed for strength and growth.  Take the TIME tell that family member whom you haven’t seen or spoken to for years, that they are important to you.  Take the TIME to share a kind word with the neighbor whom you haven’t made eye contact with because life has just gotten too busy.  Take the TIME to ask your friend for forgiveness when harsh words may have been exchanged.

 We often take for granted how precious life really is.  Sometimes we act as if we were designed to be on earth forever and that TIME has no real value.  When we take TIME to explore all of the opportunities and see all of the wonder and beauty that God created for us to enjoy, we will value the TIME that God has given us and we will begin to use every moment to love, praise, honor, and glorify Him in all that we do. Cherish the TIME you were given and live life to the fullest!! ♥