DOING WHAT IS IMPORTANT

Have you ever wondered how Jesus could say after three short years in the ministry, “It is finished…I have accomplished all that God put me here to do?”  He knew how to separate the urgencies of life apart from what was important.  An urgency is something that pressures me into action.  That which is important is “acting on a matter because of God’s claim on my life which has precedence over all human urgencies.”

In John 11 Jesus’ good friend, Lazarus was sick and about to die.  Lazarus’ sisters said to Jesus, “So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’”  John 11:3 They were trying to pressure Jesus into coming and healing their brother.  Jesus said, “This illness does not lead to death.  It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).  Jesus would not be pressured into doing something for which He had another plan.   Lazarus died, and when He came four days later He raised Lazarus from the dead.  Jesus is never late; He is always on time!

There are five important things Scripture lays out as important.  Today I want to focus on the number one priority found in Eph. 5:17-19, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.”  Simply put the most important priority to God is being “filled with the Spirit.”   We do this by reading and memorizing Scripture, singing meaningful songs, and effectively praying.  Our minds need to be saturated by the Spirit of God.  Don’t let the urgencies of life steal away your time with God!  Next week I will go into the other four priorities.