Do You Have Time?

God will get our attention one way or another.

The Master called my name one day because He needed someone to go.

I said "Lord, in my spare time, between school, spending time with my
husband, working from 8 to 6, and trying to coordinate a program for my
community to help our children do better, I will help you look. See, I
know I can't go right now cause I have so much to do."

He said, "Well, where shall I find such a person? I thought I saw your
name on my list of available people."

"Well Lord, that was the prayer that I prayed last year, but since then,
things have changed."

He said, "Like what?"

"Well I'm working on my Ph.D. and I'm needed by so many people, and my
husband is always wanting something done, and on top of that my
community EXPECTS me to help and give to them so . . ."

"Well, seeing that you're busy, I'll let you go, but we will talk again,
if YOU have some time."

I went on through the days, and the weeks, and the months completing my
task as always. One evening, while studying for my comp exams, I
received a call from the hospital concerning my husband. He had been in
a terrible accident and was in critical condition. I dropped everything
and ran to the hospital where I found my husband hanging on for dear
life. I immediately begin to pray, "Lord, don't take him now, I can't
bare it." But my prayer echoed off the wall and returned into mine own
ear.

That next morning I left the hospital tired and weary, and walked in the
door of my classroom just in time to begin my comps. As the professors
begin asking me questions I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came
out. In my mind, I begin praying, praying hard, but my prayer echoed
again and I found myself upset at God because He was no where to be
found. I could not explain to them what was happening.

After leaving from my exams, I called in to work because I was so
distraught at all that was going on. I explained to my supervisor what
had happened and she demanded that I take some time off. After visiting
my husband in the hospital that evening, I went home and fell into a
sunken state crying and despairing. Just then I heard someone calling my
name.

"Lord, is that YOU?"

"Well yes it is. Do YOU have some time? I wanted to see if I could just
talk . . . "

Instead of waiting to hear His questions, I lashed out in anger and
resentment. "How is it that when I needed You today, YOU couldn't be
found and last night I cried and cried but all I heard were echoes from
the walls. My husband is dying, I'm flunking out of school, I may not
have a job and You can just sit and say YOU want to talk?"

The Lord interrupted me in my foolish speaking.

"My child, I was busy, out looking for someone to go and tell others
about Me when you cried. By the time I came to answer, you had moved on
to something else. So, I decided to let your husband rest, and keep you
home for a few days. That way MAYBE you would get in touch with Me, if
YOU had some time. For you see, before your husband, your school, or
your job needs you, I NEED YOU. And if all these things take you away
from Me, I have to almost take them away from YOU, in order to get a
moment."

I calmed down and began to cry. For I remembered my prayer of wanting to
go and do for the Lord.

He said, "I just wanted to recheck with you to see if you knew of ANYONE
that I could send to be a witness for Me and tell others about Me . . .
any one at all . . .?"

With tears in my eyes and feeling so unworthy I said, "Lord, send me,
I'll go."

God should never have to ask us if we have some time. When He died on
the cross He put aside everything to ensure us eternal life. We should
be more than GRATEFUL to do service for the Lord -- to witness, and to
tell ANYONE we can about Jesus. Don't let your "things," WHATEVER they
may be, get you so tied up that God has to become a meeting time in your
yearly planner. He had more than enough time for us. The least we could
do is have time for him.