Hedge Fund Manager's Waste Time with God Practice

A hedge fund manager who once managed billions in New York City became a Christian and reoriented his life around a surprising priority: he intentionally chose each day to “waste time with God.” This phrase names a kind of relaxed, unhurried companionship rather than unproductive idleness, describing walks, conversations about God’s work in his life, and the simple practice of unburdening his heart rather than confining God to a Sunday slot ([42:41]–[43:27]). The decisive change was not a new set of religious tasks but a reordering of priorities so that presence and friendship with God became central to daily life. That daily practice demonstrates that intimacy with God is accessible even amid the busiest schedules.

Wasting time with God means intentionally entering informal, ongoing friendship with the divine. It looks like talking while walking, praying during routine chores, or sharing life’s small details—ways of relating that do not require formal structure or a checklist but do demand attention and availability ([43:41]–[44:09]). These ordinary moments become opportunities for companionship when treated as times to be present with God rather than merely filling gaps in the day. The value lies in presence and mutual enjoyment, transforming seemingly mundane activities into sustained relational encounters.

Psalm 23:5 reframes the relationship with God from a shepherd’s care to the intimacy of a host who prepares a table for an honored guest, signaling friendship and honor rather than only guidance and protection ([34:09]–[34:59]). In biblical culture, sharing a meal signified deep companionship and covenantal unity, and the image of a prepared table indicates invitation into the life and presence of God. This host-guest metaphor underscores that God desires not just obedience or service but warm, personal fellowship characterized by welcome and honor.

The specific imagery of Psalm 23:5—“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows”—communicates God’s lavish hospitality and restorative care ([35:27]–[36:23]). Anointing the head with oil was an act of honor and consecration; the overflowing cup symbolizes abundance that spills into every area of life. These symbols together portray friendship with God as generous, restorative, and life-giving rather than sparse or transactional ([34:59]–[35:27]).

God’s welcome is constant, not conditional, and friendship with God means being known fully and pursued even in brokenness. Unlike fragile human relationships that sometimes grow impatient, divine friendship is marked by persistent welcome and attentive presence ([41:32]–[42:03]). That reality reframes spiritual practices: they are not primarily obligations to be completed but invitations to ongoing companionship. Prioritizing relational time with God flows naturally from understanding God as one who enjoys and honors the company of those He invites.

Practically, cultivating friendship with God transforms everyday rhythms by turning ordinary tasks into moments of connection. When dishes, walking the dog, or commuting become opportunities to be present with God, life is reshaped from a series of duties into an extended conversation and shared life together ([44:23]–[44:36]). This relational practice reshapes identity and behavior because friendship with God changes how one lives—choices, priorities, and responses—by grounding them in shared presence rather than mere obligation ([37:09]–[38:20]). The overflowing cup is experienced not only as spiritual blessing but as practical overflowing influence in daily life.

God’s generosity is expressed most profoundly as the gift of friendship and presence rather than primarily as material provision. The prepared table, the anointing, and the overflowing cup together declare that human beings are invited into honored companionship with God who lavishes care and enjoys their company ([42:41]–[44:36]; [34:39]–[35:27]). The hedge fund manager’s example shows that even intensely busy lives can be reordered to prioritize this friendship by embracing unhurried, ordinary moments as sacred. The central teaching is clear: God invites every person to a relationship marked by generous hospitality, ongoing presence, and the simple, transformative practice of regularly wasting time with Him.

This article was written by an AI tool for churches, based on a sermon from C3Wheeling, one of 2 churches in Wheeling, WV