Commitment or committed?

I guess I just want to speak from my heart for a minute about one of the biggest frustrations I face in my Spiritual journey. I've been a Christian for a long time now, and I don't know if I'll be able to handle one more person telling me, "I'm too busy" to do something for Jesus or go to a Bible Study or attend church or any number of other things. The truth is, we're all busy. I work 40 hours a week, volunteer 20 hours a week plus to InterVarsity. I then give another 5-10 hours a week to my church. That doesn't leave a lot of time for other things, but somehow God blesses me with enough hours in a week to sleep, study the word, pray, and spend time with friends. It's a matter of commitment.

I recently read a very funny and meaningful book called, He's Just Not That Into You. It's a dating book, written by a male comedian, but it's written directly to women. Here's the premise of the book. Women (men pay attention) if a guy doesn't do the things he says he's going to do, he's just not that into you. You know what the third chapter is all about? It says this, women, if a guy doesn't want to spend time with you or make you a priority, he's just not that into you. It's really true. Think about it. When is the last time you put someone you didn't really care about at the top of your "to do list." If you're anything like me, you haven't. So think about it from God's view. Christian if you do not want to spend time with God or make him a priority in your schedule, you are just not that into Him. How sad? But how painfully true.

There's an old saying that says you can tell a Christian by two things: their checkbook and their Day planner. Have you penciled God in recently? Have you given more than 5 minutes to him in prayer? What about spending time in corporate prayer with other believers? Or attending a Bible Study to study God's word with other people? And are you more than just attending? Or are you just the person who comes when the mood hits or their isn't too much homework. Sometimes we can act like we want to pick and chose from the salad bar of God. Mmmm, today I'll have a little Bible Study, but no prayer. Oooh, the large group meeting looks great, but I'd rather sleep-in Sunday morning and not go to church. But maybe I'll be craving church next week. Once again, if you can't commit to Jesus, you're just not that into him.

I don't want to guilt trip anyone, or make people feel bad, but God isn't a cosmic vending machine waiting in heaven for us to put in our time and solicit a favor. He's a loving God, who sent his son to die for the salvation of the world. What an amazing love that is?! And when you truly love someone, you put effort into meeting with them and spending time with them. You make a commitment. God makes a commitment to us daily, and he made an extremely serious commitment 2000 years ago when he sacrificed his son on the cross. Not because he was upset with Jesus, but because he loved us, his creation. And I'll tell you with all of the opportunities we receive each day to spend with God, it's easy to tell that he is just that into us.