We’ve all done it, invested our heart and soul into an endeavour then sat back and wondered: was that a waste?

Don’t give me the old “wisdom for the journey,” or “what a great lesson to learn moving forward.” I hate wasting time.

Wasteful worship

On the contrary, when it comes to worship, I’ve been toying with the idea that my offering is not considered worship unless it can be viewed as a waste. Wasteful worship, unreasonable worship, worship that doesn’t make sense to anyone other than Jesus and me.

Drawing near rarely feels ‘productive.’ Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to invest into at times. It’s difficult to put a results driven life on pause to seek the unknown.

When Jesus calls, sometimes I am busy on my task focused hamster wheel of life. Deep down I want to stop and take a moment, but the momentum keeps propelling me forward.

“I’ll just finish this task then I’ll step back.”

“Ok I’ll just start this new project then I’ll slow down.”

“Oh, I really should do something about this situation before I make the time…”

“Be with you in a minute Jesus!”

Why do we try to keep up the unreasonable pace we set for ourselves and put down the unnecessary time fillers that our hearts enjoy so much? These ‘waste of time ventures’ are often the very things that draw us close to Jesus.

The story of Mary and Martha has been echoing in my soul.

‘Few things are needed—or indeed only one.’ (Luke 10::42a NIV).

Martha worked while Mary sat. The same Mary who created the margin to be with to Jesus while her sister worked, also broke her alabaster jar of spikenard worth a year’s wages, for Him. Her sacrifice viewed as a waste to some (Mark 14:3). It wasn’t a waste to Mary, and it wasn’t a waste to Jesus.

Waste is in the eye of the beholder.

Some say going out for dinner is a waste of money while others say it’s an investment into a relationship. Some say going to the gym is a waste of time while others say it is an investment into your health. The list goes on. We can all be accused of being wasteful; the question is whether are we investing our time and money into what we value most?

I have never regretted one minute spent in the presence of God.

I have never regretted one dollar invested into building His church.

Words, songs, prayer, time with people; I’m beginning to view these as my wasteful worship.

I value these things; I give them as an offering, given freely, given for Him. In the giving, I am drawn close.

What draws you close?

What causes your heart to come alive?

Don’t see it as a waste. Maybe it’s your worship?

Praying that you find margin in your day for Him, for you, for worship without an outcome.

In love,

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