I'll just have to try harder.
Recently I went on a trip with my friends through a local church. Our destination was the state of Kentucky to tour the Creation Museum. It was a journey that definitely strengthened my faith, and I believe that everyone at some point should tour the Museum. It's in Hebron, Kentucky which was a bit of a drive for us (10 hours) but we made a week out of it and it was worth it.
However, this may have been a pleasure trip, but it was also a church trip and every morning and evening when we were in the hotel we had worship services. The youth leader from the trip had written all the "lessons" himself, and one thing that struck me was that he used the book of Proverbs as our morning devotionals.
He took the date and used that corresponding chapter (EX: the 19th day of the month meant that we studied the 19th chapter of Proverbs). He told us (and this is true) that there are enough chapters in this book (31) to be able to read one every day of the month (for the most part).
And it's true. The youth leader challenged us all on that trip to take five-ten minutes out of our day and read the Bible. It didn't have to be Proverbs. It could be any book, any chapter. Just as long as we made more of an effort to read the Good Word a little everyday, he said, it would be time well spent.
And it is. I admit that I don't read my Bible everyday, but I do read a little each week. And its so worth it. What is ten minutes anyway? It's nothing compared to an eternity.
What is eternity any way?
That's the definition anyway, according to Google.
INFINITE. UNENDING.
Eternity, then, is a fancy word describing God's love for us, his children. :)
In all seriousness however, can you imagine eternity? Something that never ends?
It's hard, isn't it?
Nothing on the world today is unending, because everything is finite. Everything dies at some point.
Animals, plants, people. At one point or another, everything kicks the bucket.
It's May the 5th today. So, here's Proverbs 5.
Proverbs 5
My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
listen well to my words of insight.,
that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.
For the lips of an adulttress drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;
but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.
She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.
do not turn aside from what I say.
Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,
do not go near the door of her house,
lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity to one who is cruel,
and your dignity to one who is cruel,
lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich the house of another.
and your toil enrich the house of another.
At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
when your flesh and body are spent.
You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!
How my heart spurned correction!
I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.
or turn my ear to my instructors.
And I was soon in serious trouble
in the assembly of God’s people.”
in the assembly of God’s people.”
Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
running water from your own well.
Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
your streams of water in the public squares?
Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
never to be shared with strangers.
May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths.
and he examines all your paths.
The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
the cords of their sins hold them fast.
the cords of their sins hold them fast.
For lack of discipline they will die,
led astray by their own great folly.
led astray by their own great folly.
POP QUIZ!
1) Did you read through the whole thing?
2)Did it take long?
Here's a cheat sheet.
Answers:
1) Yes!
2) NO!
The truth is, it doesn't take that long, and it isn't that hard to read. I try to read one chapter from proverbs every morning. I'm not saying that I do. I'm saying that I try. There are some days that I forget, so I double up the next day. It takes me less than ten minutes.
Yes, this passage has nothing to do with eternity. But these verses do:
"And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
--1 John 5:11
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."
--John 5:24
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
--John 3:16
"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."
--John 6:51
"And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."
--1 John 5:20
So let me ask you one more question.
What's five-ten minutes compared to an eternity?
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