Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Slipping Through Our Fingers"
Aug. 9, 2018
(Jesus said) "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
~ Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
The expert on time management was speaking to a group of business students.
Standing before this group of high-powered over-achievers, he pulled out a one-gallon wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Next, he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them one at a time into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked the class, "Is this jar full?"
Everyone in the class said, "Yes."
The instructor came back: "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing the pieces of gravel to work down between the big rocks. He smiled and asked the group once more, "Now, is the jar full?"
By this time, the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
"Good!" he replied.
And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in, and it filtered into the empty spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.
Once more he asked the question, "Is the jar full?"
"No!" the class shouted.
Without replying, the expert grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked the same question I'm asking you: "What is the point of this illustration?"
In the classroom, one eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is no matter how full your schedule may be, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
"No," the speaker said, "you are wrong."
So now I ask, what is the point? Give up? The point of this illustration is simply this: if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. Want that again? If you don't take care of the big things first, you'll never get them to fit in.
What kind of big things do we need to take care of? How about
1. attending worship, receiving Communion, and supporting those who are in your earthly family of faith?
2. sharing the Savior with unbelievers, doubters, and deniers?
3. being turned to Jesus and allowing your sinful burdens to be lifted from your conscience, heart, and soul?
Truly, there may be many important things on your agenda and calendar.
Every one of these items calls and clamors for your time and attention. Today we ask the Lord to show us how to discern the important from the inconsequential and how to keep the important things of the Lord at the top of our agenda.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I know that Your ways are not mine, and Your thoughts are too lofty for me to comprehend. For that reason, I need the Holy Spirit to direct my moments and my days. Please, always direct me to that which pleases You. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
The expert on time management was speaking to a group of business students.
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