Lately, I've been convicted about not giving my time to the Lord. That's an easy thing to say, and we often hear of fellow believers stating similar feelings, so it might not be too surprising to read. However, time is a valuable gift, and Christians are called to give it back to God by serving, worshiping, reading His Word, and praying to Him. It seems as if there should be ample opportunity to devote sections of the time that He has given us back to Him. After all, it's His anyway. Time is not ours, and can be taken back at any given moment.

Why, then, if this concept is so easy to realize, are we guilty of investing more time in works that are not His? Why would I rather watch a football game or go out with my loved ones than spend time with Him? Sometimes, I even choose schoolwork or housework over connecting with the Lord. It is almost as if since He is always there, I feel like He will still be there when the work is done and the fun has been had.

Although there is truth and beauty in the idea that God isn't going anywhere and will always be able to hear me (no matter where I find myself), it also is no excuse to save for later what could be blessing my soul at the present moment. There is no sense in haphazardly going to God at the end of a day, weary and unable to remember the objectives of your prayer or Bible time when you have a whole 24 hours to choose to devote the proper amount of attention. (Note:This is not to take away from times that we are called to fall on our knees or run to our Bibles for help when our world gets shaky. Even struggled time spent with the Lord is better than none!)

Hear this, my brothers and sisters, Jesus will meet you if you take a step towards Him, but He is no fool. He won't snatch you from your old ways unless you're first ready, and until you demonstrate your yearn for Him to take the reigns and be infused into the aspects of your life. He's just waiting for your signal. He won't force you to love Him or to put Him first. That's not the God we serve.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reads,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

In this scripture we all know and love, we see that it says to submit (or acknowledge) God in all ways. Not just sometimes, not just after the work is done, but in every moment of your life. That's a pretty large demand from an insanely large Creator. In order for God to do great things through you and to produce sweet fruit, your yielding to Him must be evident in your life.

Christianity isn't something to sprinkle on top of your existent life. It's something that begs to be deeply rooted in all of your actions, emotions, and words. It's ever- progressing and yet never changing.

I leave you now with something to dwell on, an unforgettable life- application quote shared with me by a close high school friend:

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." -C.S.Lewis

Jesus doesn't compromise. This is an all-or-nothing kind of deal. Think about that. Are you "in" or "out", and is there evidence within your life that supports that answer?