Time Well Spent

Time Well Spent

When I was about five years old my Aunt Pearl came to visit.  We went for a walk around the neighborhood that we had recently moved into.  I showed her all the important sights, my friend’s houses, the tree that I liked to climb and the places that had the best mud puddles when it rained, you know, all the important stuff.  I also found a rock that I thought was interesting and I gave it to her.  Looking back, I’m pretty sure that it didn’t make much difference to her which trees were the best ones to climb, or which puddles had the most mud for making mud balls.  What was important to her I suppose, was spending time with her little nephew who was terribly excited to show her around and tell her all that he had discovered in his new world.  The fact that it was so important to me was what made it important to her.    

I think spending time with God can be a lot like that.  What can we say to God in a prayer that He hasn’t already heard and what request can we make that He doesn’t already know about?  What good can truly come from just reading some ‘old book’ (The Bible)?  While I would argue that quite a bit of good can come from reading The Bible (and spending time in prayer), I realize sometimes it feels like it’s just reading some old book that doesn’t seem to have any relevance to my ‘real life’.  Like that walk with Aunt Pearl so many years ago, sometimes it is more important just to spend the time on the relationship and realize that what we go through IS important to God because it IS important to us.  Like any relationship, if you work at it a little, I’m sure you will become more comfortable reading The Bible and praying and strengthening your relationship with God… You will also start to see just how relevant that ‘old book’ can truly be in your life.  No doubt there are some sections of The Bible that are difficult to read, but believe me when I tell you, there plenty of interesting, exciting, emotionally fulfilling, encouraging and relevant passages in The Bible.  I recommend you find some good Bible study materials to help you get the most out of what The Bible has to offer.  Personally, I like to listen to podcasts of good Bible teachers.  If you have some good suggestions feel free to mention them in the comments section below.  I realize I am a bit biased, but The Minute Bible is a good start to help you understand the big picture before you dig in.  Remember, the time spent together in a relationship is often as valuable as what was done with the time.  

I hope you have found this helpful.  I’ll be honest, I need your feedback to keep motivated, so if you have any questions, or comments or you just found this helpful, please leave a little comment.  Also, let us know what Bible study tools you find helpful.  

Epilogue:  Several years later we went to visit my aunt… do you know she still had that rock that I gave her?  I gotta say, that made a little twelve year old kid feel pretty special. 

This weeks Minute Bible upload will be First and Second Timothy because…

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

First Timothy

Second Timothy

Thanks

The Minute Bible Guy

http://theminutebible.com/