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He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach. - Mark 3:14 

I came across an idea the other day called, “Wasting time with God.” At first, I will admit, it caught me off guard. How can any time with God be considered “wasted time” because any time with God is not wasted – ever.  

However, as I thought it through a bit more, I got the idea of it. Wasted time is simply to “be with Jesus, with no agenda.” It’s just like friends or family who get together just to be together. It’s when people just want to be able to sit and talk or sit and be quiet. It's just good to be in the same place at the same time... together.  

When Jesus called the 12 men to be his students, the purpose was stated as simply... “that they might be with Him.” (Mark 3:14) He just wanted to do life with them, together. It is akin in some ways to Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God.” Just be still together.  

One time a reporter asked Mother Teresa about her prayer life. "When you pray, what do you say to God?” She replied, “I don’t say anything. I listen.” He then asked, “What does He say?”. Her answer, “He doesn’t say anything. He listens. And, if you don’t understand that, I can’t explain it to you.”  

That must be what “wasted time with God is all about.”  

One of my best friends growing up and I used to go hiking together quite a bit. We could go long times without saying a word, and that was ok. We hiked in silence together. Just the company was enough.  

I came across this idea of “wasting time with God” in a book, “Lead with Prayer” by Cameron Doolittle, Peter Greer, and Ryan Skoog which compiles stories and examples of the prayer lives and practices of leaders in the business, nonprofit and church worlds. In it, they write about John Kim, a pastor, inventor, entrepreneur, board member, husband and father who has little time to waste, but yet chooses to take time to just spend with Jesus and talk through life, decisions to be made, relationships and whatever comes to mind. This is what doing life with Jesus looks like for him. He founded a house of prayer and entrepreneurship in Manhattan called, Coram Deo – “living before the face of God” where others can practice this “wasting time with God.”  

I have begun to try this idea a bit here recently. Normally, I pray with an agenda, written or un...” usually with lots of requests, concerns, and thanks. Lately though, I have been speaking with God as I would with anyone else including lots of questions I pose to Him. (I love asking people questions, especially about themselves or things and people in their lives.) I have taken this over to my relationship with God and am good with the silence that follows but also very excited about what is coming out of this time with God – greater joy, peace, contentment and reassurance, all things I want more of in my life. A big thing I am experiencing from this: I am enjoying my time with God.  

What is the goal of “wasting time with God?” The goal? Does it have to have a goal? Well, if it does, here’s the goal. The goal, I suppose is friendship with Jesus which is the whole point anyway. Learning to be friends with Jesus is the goal. And that’s not a bad thing. And that’s not a waste of time.