Commitment, Priorities and Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 says this:  "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

Seems pretty clear that God should be at the forefront of everything we do, think and say, right?  So why is it so difficult to get more of a commitment within our Life Groups, from members and ourselves?  We all have this problem from time to time, don't we?  The excuses are many and you've probably heard them all:  "Work is really busy these days!"  "We both work and feel guilty leaving the kids with a babysitter during the week."  "We're overloaded and it's hard for us to schedule one more a activity during the week."  There are probably many more and probably a few that I haven't heard.  

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not coming down on folks because of their choices in scheduling free time.  We all have busy and sometimes overloaded schedules.  Whether right or wrong, it's just the way our fast-paced culture is in 2012, and all evidence points to things only getting worse.  As we become more plugged into technology, we begin to feel that efficiency is automatically the end result.  So, we acquire more gadgets and add more to our schedules, all the while inadvertently adding more stress to our lives and causing us to allow our priorities to get out of whack.

But are we any different as leaders?  Do we all give 100% to leading our Life Groups?  Do we prepare in advance and pray diligently for each meeting and discussion?  Do we regularly pray for those in our groups and show interest in the things that are going on in their lives?  Do we make our Life Group preparation and meetings the most important thing in our week, or do we bump it down the list of importance because other more pressing things take priority?

Again, my intention is not to point the proverbial finger of shame.  This may not apply to you at all, and if it doesn't, please feel free to share advice on how you've succeeded in this area.  But leading Life Groups is not an easy ministry and unfortunately "life" can get in the way form time to time.  I'm just as guilty as anyone of neglecting Life Groups that I've led in the past.  But I talk to a lot of leaders, in and outside of Gateway, and I hear the same stories over and over again.  "I just don't have time to lead anymore."  "My work is very stressful right now and I just don't need another stressful activity in my life."  "Family life is busy.  We just can't take on this responsibility anymore."  "We need a break from church stuff.  Sunday morning is all we can manage."  Any others?

And these are all legitimate excuses.  Again, LIFE IS HECTIC!  But here's my point.  None of us would argue that our relationship with God is the most important aspect of our lives.  And as followers of Christ, we represent His Body on this earth until He comes again.  As Life Group leaders, we have chosen to be leaders in that Body in one of the most important ministries within the Church.  The Church is His Body, living and breathing in the world, and as far as I'm concerned, the only hope for this culture around us.  Why then, is the ministry we do not the first and foremost priority of each and every day we live?  If we REALLY believe what we say, why it is so easy for some of us to neglect the ministry that Christ has called us to?

Do I have an answer?  No!  So, if you do, help me out here!  We're in this together, so let's brain storm!  Think about some of these questions and  see what you come up with.  Be honest with yourself and spend some time with God on this topic.  Here's what I'm going to work on this week:

1.  How can I keep my relationship with Christ healthy and of top priority in my life?
2.  How can I give more to my ministry and prioritize it just below my relationship with God?
3.  What can I do to help others in my life do the same?

Easy?  Nope!  But like I said, we're in this together!

Peace & Blessings!