God, The Banker
It’s like God is a generous banker (an oxymoron in itself!) and whenever we invest our time in Him, He gives back to us, but with a massive amount of interest!
Reference: v.1 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: A few years ago I went on a short-term mission trip to the Philippines on my own. The year before I had gone with a team, and I decided to return on my own to go and assist some church planters in the rural area of Bicol. Upon arriving at my destination, I felt quite overwhelmed. I was not sure exactly what my itinerary would hold, and the family I was staying with first, I had only been briefly introduced to the year before. What could God possibly do with someone so ill-informed like myself?! The very first meal we had together, I was open and honest about my feelings, and that opened the floodgates for them to be honest about their situation too. They were really struggling with some issues that were happening for them at the time and we sat for hours pouring over their thoughts, feelings and options. In all the things I had prepared for my trip, I had never imagined that God would use me in such a way. My connection and support of this family grew so strong and it still continues today.
Application: I truly believe that if you offer God your time, that He will not waste it. Every missions trip, conference, or camp that I have gone on, I have felt that God has used that time for me to invest into others and He has spoken to me about something specific in my life. It’s like God is a generous banker (an oxymoron in itself!) and whenever we invest our time in Him, He gives back to us, but with a massive amount of interest! It may not be what we were expecting, but He invests into our lives to make us better people and stronger followers. If we’re willing to deposit some time over to God, we will be amazed at what He can do with it.
Prayer: Lord God, You give to us so much more than we could ever give to You. Help us to be generous with our dedication to You. Amen
How generous have you been with giving your time to God?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.