Present but Absent

Isaiah 55:2

Why do you spend money on what is not food, and your wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.

This verse is about much more than just food and money. God is speaking to Isaiah about a common concept that teaches a much deeper truth. Money and wages are our resources – the things God gives us to fulfill His calling. When we spend them on things that don’t truly satisfy, we are eating what is not good for our lives, and we are settling for much less than the very best He has for us. We may be eating grub worms for protein when He has a choice steak right there in front of us!

Two of the most important resources God has given us are our time and our attention, which are designed to work together. We can easily give someone our time without giving our full attention. When we do, we show that person that something or someone else has a greater priority with us. The relationships that grow in our lives are the ones to which we devote our time and attention, and the most important relationship we have is the one we have with Christ. When we put Him first, family second, and our calling third, we find our lives taking on a new balance as we begin to “eat what is good and enjoy the choices of foods.” God’s blessings for us come within the framework He designed for us, and when we devote time or attention to other things, it depletes us.

If you find yourself juggling too many things, stop and ask yourself if what you are doing is really a priority. Does it help build your life or deplete you? Are you giving your full time and attention to the people that mean the most to you in your life? Learn to prioritize, and trust God to handle what seems urgent outside of your proper priority. God will bless your life, but you must be present to receive it.

Have a blessed day!