Each year I have the privilege of doing missionary work a couple of times in the country of Ukraine. When I return home to America after six weeks, I experience a sort of reverse culture shock. My first impression upon arriving back home is how Americans are so very very busy, especially making money. But not only in the making of money. Americans are extremely busy with all kinds of other things including the pursuit of fun and pleasure.

We are a hurry hurry society and we are raising hurried children. Very young children are rushed to the daycare center and at the end of the day back home again. School schedules are incredible with seven hours in the classroom and often that many more hours for extracurricular activities after school. In the summer mothers who stay at home to spend time with their children may in fact spend most of their time arranging car pools, soccer practice, swimming and music lessons.

Most of us remember the last couple of months as a blur of activity. There was so much work to do. There were so many demands on our time. So much pressure. Meanwhile, what should have mattered most was put on hold or ignored altogether till a more convenient time, which seems to never come. Millions of children received little love and guidance from their busy parents. Husbands and wives passed like ships in the night. And our spiritual nature wilted amidst overcrowded schedules and endless commitments. God got shorted in the rat race. Have you noticed that if something has to be shorted usually God is the one? Like the little boy who was given one nickel for church and one nickel for gum. On his way to church by accident he dropped one of the nickels in a sewer drain. "Well, God," the little boy whispered, "There goes your nickel." It seems that God is the one who most often gets shorted.

In his popular parable of the Sower, Jesus spoke of this same phenomena two thousand years ago. He described people so consumed with the life's worries, riches and pleasures that become like thorns in a garden that completely choke God out of the person's life. Times haven't changed! What Jesus said about many of the people in his own day well describes many Americans. Does is describe you? Just too busy right now with your job and the making of money and recreation on the weekends so there is no time for God?

People in Ukraine are not as busy as we are making a living. Maybe it is because there is less money there to be made. They are also more receptive to God, and maybe this is because they are not so busy, so consumed with the making of money and other worldly things. God has blessed America financially. Materially we are among the most prosperous people who have ever lived on the face of the earth. But prosperity can become a great curse if we get so busy with this world that we forget about God.

Don't let the cares of this world choke God right out of your life. We all have the same 24 hours in everyday. And if we are willing we can find time for God. We can take time for family and children. We can reserve time each week to participate in the church that Jesus created. It can be done. In the Bible God says, "Be still and know that I am God. Stop what you are doing and think about me."