Planning, Preparing, Priorities

"The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)

Have you ever considered all the things people plan for in life? We create budgets and lists to help us keep track of our ever-busy lives. We consult financial planners to help us plan and prepare for the future. We go to the doctor to help us stay healthy and proactively prevent illnesses. We put a lot of effort into planning events like weddings and birthday parties. Some people hire travel agents to plan every detail of their vacations. Many try numerous diets, pay for gym memberships, plan out all their meals, and even hire personal trainers and dieticians to get or stay thin. Parents plan and prepare countless activities for their children and some begin saving money for their child's college education before he or she is even born. We research, plan, and spend years being equipped for careers. We plan and strive to be successful, well-known, and esteemed. We purchase various types of insurance so we will be prepared for possible future accidents, health issues, and even death. This list could go on and on.

If we each created a list of what we spend time and money planning for, that same list would give us a pretty clear picture of what we view as important and valuable in life. If it's our desire to create the best possible future for ourselves and our families, we will plan, save, and prepare. If we want to feel good and live a long life, we will prioritize our health and be prepared for protentional health concerns. If we want to be successful and prosperous, we will work hard and be intentional with goal setting and climbing the ladder. If we believe it's important for our children to go to college but don't want them to graduate in a sea of debt, we will begin saving and preparing early. If we value the idea of enjoying our retirement in our later years, we will have to plan and save accordingly. 

All of those things are important, and no one is at fault for planning and being prepared, but the hard truth is, none of us are promised tomorrow. I can't help but wonder if we are as intentional with the one thing that truly matters, as we are with those things that aren't guaranteed and often don't matter much in the end. Regardless of where any of us are in life --young or old, rich or poor, successful or failing --our walk with Christ needs to be a priority. 

So, I ask myself, and encourage you to ask yourself, does my life prove that my relationship with God is important to me? Do I plan and prepare so that I am able to spend time with God each day? Do I make drawing near to God a priority? Do I go to church or attend a Bible study just because I know I should, or do I embrace those opportunities and allow God to teach me through them? Do I worship and pray throughout the day? Do I tithe and give generously with a grateful heart? Do I allow time and space to hear the voice of my Father? Do I show gratitude for all the ways God has blessed me or do I find reasons to be negative and complain? Do I surrender my life, my family, my money, my time, and my future to my Heavenly Father? Do I share the hope only found in Jesus with people I encounter?

2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that God is searching the whole earth for those that are committed to Him. And those He finds, He strengthens. If God is having to search for those who are committed to Him, there must be many people who call themselves Christians and go through the motions, but their lives do not prove that they value their relationship with Christ as much as they value their future, their health, or their success. This verse also reminds me that my commitment to God is noticed by Him and He will strengthen me because of it. 

Planning and preparing for all the things listed above is wise and worthwhile, but we mustn't forget that those things are not what's most important. I pray that we will place our relationship with God at the top of our list of priorities and that we will be committed to growing and becoming more like Jesus. That won't happen by accident. As God searches the whole earth for those who are fully devoted to Him, may our commitment to Him be noticed and may we be strengthened by Him. 

Tori