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Most people do what they can to protect their worldly possessions from being lost, destroyed, or stolen. They secure passwords to bank accounts. They lock doors to cars and homes. Or, they put jewelry, cash, important documents, and other valuables in safes and vaults. But worldly possessions are not the only things we should protect.
Matthew 6:20 states: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (ESV).
It is also necessary to be protective about things that have eternal value. Things that help us to develop our relationship with God. Things that help us grow our intimacy with God. For example, we need to be protective of time needed to spend with God in prayer.
When we pray, we come to know more about God. When we pray, we get answers. We get direction. We get strength to persevere in tough times. When we pray, we follow the example set by Jesus. As Mark 1:35 states: Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed (NKJV).
Any time spent with God is precious. This means then that time spent being quiet before God is precious. Time spent reading scriptures is precious. And time spent in prayer is precious. If we don’t see these times as precious, we leave the door open for the enemy, the devil, to draw us away to do other things with the time.
1 Peter 5:8 states: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (ESV).
As believers, we have to be watchful for the traps of the enemy. Something as simple as a change in our routine has the power to lead us into a trap. Look at it this way. The change in routine is not the trap. What you do, or don’t do, as a result of the changed routine may lead you into the trap of the enemy. For example, you may now be working overtime or volunteering during the time that was previously set aside for quality time in prayer. Instead of setting another time to pray, you move along with the intent to pray whenever you can “find the time to do so.” You never quite find quality time to do so. The trap is set.
But all is not lost.
There is still hope because you can simply rearrange your day’s activities so you can spend quality time with God. But you don’t do it! Days turn into weeks and now you are no longer spending quality time with God. You are not even missing those moments. You have fallen into the enemy’s trap and have been drawn away from doing what is important and needful for every believer – spending time with God.
Just as we guard worldly things like jewelry, homes, and cars from being stolen, let us guard – let us protect – things that have eternal value. Let us be intentional about safeguarding the time needed to pray and commune with God. Let us be intentional about making sure that we have time to draw closer to God. As James 4:8 states in part: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (NKJV).
Except where indicated, scripture references are from the American Standard Version (ASV), Darby Translation (DARBY), or King James Version (KJV) – all public domain.
