Divine Time ManagementSample

Loving God With Your Time 

God’s a good father and gives us clear guidelines in the gift of the Bible. But He doesn’t simply want to hand us a guidebook for life, punish us if we mess up, and then see us when we get to heaven. God has a deep desire to be on the journey with us every step of the way. That’s why one of the highest uses of our time is to love God. 

As Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV) says: “Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.’”

So what exactly does it look like to love God with our time? There are many ways. But here are a few key ones: Worship, Word, and Prayer. 

When we take time to worship either in a collective setting, such as going to church, or on our own, such as listening to praise music while we’re walking in the woods, we are reminding ourselves of who God is and who we are in relation to Him. We remember His mighty power and goodness and are reminded of how much He loves us. This cultivation of both respect and love blesses both our hearts and God’s heart. 

As it says in Psalm 27:4 (NIV): “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” 

We also can show our love for God by spending time in the Word. When we read the Bible, we gain a deeper understanding of who God is and also what He wants from us. It’s important we know what God wants from us because part of how we show God our love with our time is by obeying Him. 

As 1 John 5:2-3 (NIV) says: “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” 

And a third way that we can love God through our time is by taking time to pray. Prayer is one of my very favorite activities so I pray in many different ways. For example, in the morning I like to journal out my thoughts to talk through with God what’s on my mind, what concerns me, and what to do next. I also have a daily prayer list of people who I pray for. And finally, throughout the day I talk to God about everything from how I should approach a difficult work situation to praising Him for something that’s gone well. 

When we love God with our time, we experience a greater sense of His love in return.