Digging Deeper – Surrendering Our Priorities
And it came about that while He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And He stretched out His hand, and touched him saying, “I am willing, be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and great multitudes were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
Luke 5:12-16
SURRENDERING OUR PRIORITIES
Is Jesus on my schedule every day for a little personal time?
During this week, we will study together how to prioritize time with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and how doing so will free us to love people and live sent.
In the passage above, Jesus shows us, as His children, how to use our time wisely in the midst of unimaginable pressure and demands, caring for the one and the many, while still making time for His Father. We will also consider how to lead lives that are pleasing to the Father, with a prescription for success that comes straight from an interaction with Jesus.
When asked what the secret was to eternal life, Jesus responded to the lawyer asking the question, “What does the Law of Moses say?”
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
In reality, this verse, along with the companion verses in Gospel of Matthew 22:37-39 and Gospel of Mark 12:30-31, may be among the most important verses in all of Scripture. Jesus is being asked, partly out of curiosity and partly as a test, “How then shall I live?” Jesus takes the Ten Commandments and summarizes them into two parts: the first four commands, which concern how we relate to God, and the last six commands, which concern how we relate to people. He states them plainly in two simple principles: Love God. Love People.
When I make decisions based on these two principles, I make very few bad decisions.
Will doing this cause my love for God to grow? Yes? Then do it.
Will doing this hurt those I love? Yes? Then do not do it.
It seems easy enough, but is it? Actually, why is it not?
I believe, from personal experience, that the reason I do not always make righteous decisions is because I am not spending enough time with my Father in His Word. I am not renewing my mind (Romans 12:2). This affects my heart relationship with Him.
I believe I am not spending enough time in solitude, prayer, and praise (Luke 5:16). This affects my soul.
I am not spending my time looking for those I can serve in the name of Jesus. This affects my spiritual strength.
Altogether, I am not spending my day renewing my mind. What I put into my mind is what I will eventually pour out into the world God has placed me in.
Father, help me truly see and believe that my time with You every day is the most profitable investment I can make. It will make all my other interactions and decisions more fruitful. Amen.
Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!