DISTANCE & TIME

“Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites!” (James 4:8 Good News Translation)

Good morning! The title led you to believe you were going to read some related to physics. Well, if you did, that is not the case. Let me get to the point and fulfil my purpose. If you have been using “It’s to far as an excuse for missing Bible Study at your church,” let me share four examples of where members of the church I attend did not let distance become a problem. We have a member who periodically visits family in Chicago, 154 miles for our location, but she STILL attends Bible Study. Our Pastor and one of his Deacons traveled to a location 389 miles from our church location, but they STILL attended Bible Study. The member I mentioned who visits Chicago periodically, is an Equal Opportunity Grandma (EOG), so there are some weeks when she travels to Los Angeles, 2,067 miles away. But guess what? She STILL makes Bible Study, and since we have four classes at our church, held on three different days, she tries to make them all! If you are in awe, don’t say nothing yet. Hold on! Wait! Wait before you say “Amen” We have another member working in Japan, 6,475 miles away, but he STILL attends Bible Study, despite the 13-hour time difference. Now, if you are in awe, and you have been waiting as I instructed, know that an “Amen” goes right here! Amen!

Here are two questions for you. (1) How far are you away from your church? The mileage is probably, in most cases, much shorter that the distances cited above. (2) Do you make it to your weekly Bible Study at your church or another Bible-teaching church? You know what? With today’s modern technology and access to virtual classes, you don’t have any excuse, none whatsoever. So, don’t let distance keep you from getting to Bible Study. Don’t let distance keep you from being a student of the word regularly. Don’t let distance keep you from being transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Okay! Okay! Okay! So, you want to play like Moses when he was talking to God at the burning bush, and you have more than one excuse! Especially the one that goes like this, “The demands of my time make it impossible to attend Bible Study at my church.” Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I have a retort for you! I have a real good remedy for you! Couldn’t you take away some of the time you spend on social media? Couldn’t you take some of the time you spend relaxing yourself? Couldn’t you just check the outcome of the game that you might not be able to watch? Couldn’t you have stopped dilly-dallying around searching for just the right outfit to wear the next day? Couldn’t you have told him/her that you needed to be in class, and you could call them or see him/her later?

I’m done! Did you just say, “Thank God!” Well, I hope not. I hope you said to yourself, “Think God!” And please, think about what you have read, and consider the value of studying God’s word with the guidance of a prepared teacher called by God.

Keep on reading and see the verse below. I’m praying that God does not have to teach you the value of studying his word the hard way! Respond this week, or at the latest, next week by being present when your Bible Study class meets. Don’t let distance and/or time get in your way! Have a terrific Thursday! This preacher loves you! Smile! Be blessed!

“Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3 NLT)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King