Tithing Time

Today I was listening to a message and the speaker was talking about the importance of spending time with the Lord in prayer and in reading His Word. I know that we all know that this is important and I sure hope that you do spend time with Him daily. I also have considered that we should give our first fruits to God in the context of not just possessions but time as well. But I had not really thought about the fact that since God gives us the specific number that should represent our first fruits--10 percent--that this should apply to our time just as much as it should our possessions. Now I know that God does not specifically require that we give him 10 percent of our time, but what if He did? Would I be able to trust that if I give Him 10 percent that he will take care of the other 90? I do it with my money, would I be willing to do it with my time? 24 hours in a day--10 percent is 2 hours and 24 minutes. Let's see...if I were to do my morning quiet time, my afternoon study, and my evening reading, I would be pretty close to this. If I added in some good solid (desperately needed might I add) prayer time, it would definitely amount to that much time. Problem is, I rarely actually do all of the things that I plan. And why not? Because I see other things that I think need to be done more. Shame on me for not realizing that just as I trust God with all of my money, I can trust Him with all of my time. Knowing that if we give Him our first fruits we can trust Him to stretch what is left and continue to give us an abundant harvest, we should be giving Him at least 10 percent of our time.

I am going to make this my goal for February-to give God at least 10 percent of my time--2 hours and 24 minutes every day. Does anyone want to join me?

Dawn