The English idiom “A royal waste of time” describes an activity that is totally useless or extremely unproductive. It can be used to describe things such as mindlessly scrolling on social media or endlessly watching television.

But theologian and author Marva Dawn used the same phrase to describe something entirely different: worship.

At first it may sound weird or even irreverent. How could worship ever be considered a waste of time?

We willingly “waste” time on the things we love. Whether it’s watching our favorite team, participating in a hobby, or enjoying a meal with family and friends. We don’t measure those moments by their productivity. We simply delight in them.

And worship is much the same. When we spend unhurried time in the presence of our King, we are not trying to accomplish something or earn His favor. We are simply delighting in Him.

As Marva Dawn writes:

“Worship is a royal ‘waste’ of time that is centered, not in efficiency or usefulness, but in the glorious presence of the Triune God. It is totally irrelevant, not efficient, not powerful, not spectacular — and yet it is the most important thing we can ever do.”

Jesus modeled this throughout His ministry.

Luke tells us, “…Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16 NIV).

And Mark records: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35 NIV).

To many people, these quiet moments may have appeared unproductive and useless. Yet they were essential to Jesus’ life and ministry.

So, as we follow in the footsteps of our Lord, let us also find our delight in our God and “waste” unhurried time with Him.

Blessings,