A Living Sacrifice: The War Between Offering Quality Time and Surrendering All that we Have

I am all for the concept of gifting quality time to those in my life. Building relationships in between the margins of my responsibilities. I was challenged however, about the difference between such moments given and the concept of offering our whole selves. Sacrificing our whole hearts rather than capping our hearts ability to love within a time line. Within boundaries where once the goal is achieved one can then step back and step away and become an observer rather than a participant.

Ok so, you might be asking where I am going with this. What is she talking about? You may be saying how you value quality time and that you cherish receiving it too! Absolutely right. Quality time is immensely appreciated, yearned for, and embraced. I am however throwing out this idea of being able to offer that quality time from a heart that does not stop offering within a physical time space. Not clocked but rather continuous. Not measured but all encompassing, all nurturing, all knowing... No we cant be perfect but I know God is. He can be all these things and He is training us up to be in His likeness.

Gods name is a place of protection, a place of refuge... we can run to Him anytime. He does not say, "hey kids you can come to me between 8am and 4pm when I am on the clock. I will be available then and only then, but in this time I will give you the best that I have... (that should make up for the times I am  not available right?)''. No He is, in His entirety, always on the clock so to speak. We can go to Him in confidence that He will always be there and He does not have a concept of after hours or of taking a message. In fact He simply is not contained in time.

We build into others identities when we invest into them. When we do not measure the cost it takes to love on someone unconditionally. Yes, we need boundaries so that we do not give and give and give and burn out. Lets not have that boundary be time. Lets allow ourselves to be fully available, to our peers, to our co-workers, to our families, to our own growth journey all the time. Not having to be perfect or happy or put together all the time but rather real and open to living a raw life wrapped in transparency. Wrapped in honesty and graced with mercy and spiced with wisdom.

Let us learn the discipline of steeping ourselves in God's provision so that when we are running on empty there is still something left to offer those we find in our company. Consumed fully by the assurance that there is always someone to run to in times of trials and being willing to add ourselves to God's army. The army that watches over and diligently seeks after the good of those that love Him and more importantly for those that do not know Him. Being assigned as a pillar in our sphere of influence. Not pressed for time but imprinted by the fingerprint of God. The mark of unfailing love- as a living sacrifice. Let us not be time keepers but rather keepers of the heart.