Time, Attention, Effort

If you open your Bible to the very center, you'll most likely be in Psalm 119. It's the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. This Psalm has twenty-two eight-verse segments, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In fact, all verses in a stanza start with the same Hebrew letter. Twenty-two stanzas, twenty-two letters of the alphabet. Pretty cool, huh?

What's even more cool is that the content of all 176 verses focuses on the word of the Lord. Read the acrostic poem called "Psalm 119" and notice how often God's word or law or precepts or commands are mentioned. The central theme of the central chapter of the Bible is God's commands.

I've been a Christian for almost 40 years. I've been in ministry for almost 30 years. I don't know all the commands of God. The Bible is a big book! But I know that I'm supposed to align my life with what the Bible says. I am to give my life to the one who gave me life and gave his life for me and gives meaning to my life.

So reading the Bible, studying God's word, following the commands, and applying the principles is a priority. Priorities require time and attention. And effort.

Riley recently told me that when he gets to the MLB (pro baseball) he wants to be a pitcher. I told him that in order to do that he would have to put in a lot of hard work starting now. He can't wait until he gets to there to start working on his pitching. He can't wait until he gets to high school to start. He can't even wait until next year. If he wants to realize that goal he has to get started now. Put in the time, pay attention to detail, and make in the effort.

I want to honor God so I have to put in the time, give attention to detail, and make the effort. Is there any other way? That's the path for you, too, if you want to honor God. Can you imagine anything better than entering heaven and hearing God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant"?

Put in the time, pay attention to detail, and make the effort. Today.

The only way it's possible to obey any of God's commands is through Jesus Christ. On your own, you won't try to please or honor God. We are too selfish and sinful for that. God dealt with this impossibility through the death of his son Jesus. Your sin demands a sacrifice. You aren't able to make a sufficient sacrifice, but God is. He sacrificed his own son - the perfect Lamb of God - to atone for your sins and put you in right relationship with him.

Will you trust God to forgive you and make you right with him? Click here for more about claiming Jesus as your Savior. I'd love to hear about your decision and help you get started with this "Time, Attention, Effort" thing.