Crunched for Time?

'...To whom does my time belong? Typically, we view time as our own. When Jesus comes into the picture, that often begins to change. He turns us outward and begins to make us mindful of the needs of others. As we heed Jesus' call to love our neighbors as ourselves, we start to shift from thinking of time as our own to seeing time as belonging to the person in our path.

...A saying goes, 'God put me on earth to accomplish certain things. Right now I'm so far behind I think I'll never die.'

Has God given us enough time? No, not if through our busyness we are trying to find significance or fill boredom or cover pain or gain acceptance or safeguard our futures (or those of our children). However, there is all the time in the world for us to do those things to which God calls us. Time to pray. Time to enjoy God. Time to sleep. Time to further the kingdom. Even time to turn around and pick up a man walking home in the rain.

The claim that God gives us enough time to do those things to which He calls us is consistent with Scripture.

For example, Paul said in Acts 20:24, "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

That sounds a lot like squeezing the infinite into the finite. But not many years later, with the task still far from finished, Paul was able to write: "The time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race." (2 Tim. 4:6-7).

The task remained, but Paul was true to his God-given calling within it. He did not need to do it all; he only needed to complete that part of the task that God had given him. How readily we fall into thinking 'I have to do it all, and I have to do it all NOW.' But not everything we think to do is something God is calling us to do."

-Henderson, David. Crunched for Time? How to Restore Breathing Room in Your Life. Discipleship Journal.

Buffer Zone of Silence

"When you approach Me in stillness and in trust, you are strengthened. You need a buffer zone of silence around you in order to focus on things that are unseen. Since I am invisible, you must not let your senses dominate your thinking. The curse of this age is over-stimulation of the senses, which blocks out awareness of the unseen world.

The tangible world still reflects My Glory, to those who have eyes that see and ears that hear. Spending time alone with Me is the best way to develop seeing eyes and hearing ears. The goal is to be aware of the unseen things even as you live out your life in the visible world."

• 2 Corinthians 4:18, "So we fix our eyes on not what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

• Isaiah 6:3, "And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His Glory."

• Psalm 130:5, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I put my hope."

Young, Sarah. (2004). Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. "June 15." pg. 174.

His Yoke is Easy

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30

When I was a kid, I used to think this verse had to do with eggs, maybe an omelet? Since then I have learned the history behind this verse. If you have a second, I'd love to share:

In Jesus' time, the rabbi's would all have specific opinions, teachings, and a 'way' of doing things. They would speak the yoke of the Torah or the Law. In fact, you could kind of compare it to politicians. Each rabbi would have an opinion of what the scriptures meant, have a specific path for their followers. The rabbi's had so many interpretations of the Law, it became a burden to those trying to follow. Got it? Ok.

Each rabbi would have many apprentices in line to work with him in hopes of one day replacing him. The rabbi would allow only one at the end of a long trial period (something of ten years). The apprentices would memorize the entire Torah, starting at age ten. They would all study this rabbi's yoke, follow him from city to city, teaching to teaching. After this ten year trial period, the rabbi would then pick only one of these young boys to follow him to learn his yoke as a future replacement. can you imagine having to memorize the entire Torah? What if you didn't get picked as "The" apprentice? What would you do with your life? Would you have to learn another rabbi's yoke?

This was a complicated, rough, tedious, and intricate way of learning the rabbi's way.

Jesus came to give Life. His yoke (teaching) is easy- simply believe in Him and you will have this Life. There are no stipulations, rules, or a ten year trial period. His burden of interpretation is light. It's not something you have to carry around in your arms, or memorize, or only hope that he'll pick you. Simply believe. Love in return.

This passage is not about eggs! It's about the everlasting love of Jesus Christ which is easy to understand. There may be many interpretations of the Bible out there, but there is only One Jesus. One Way. One Love. It's easy, at the price of Jesus' crucification it's free, and in the dwelling of the Holy Spirit we no longer have to strive after a way to salvation. We can thrive in Him!

GOD IS ABLE

GOD IS ABLE

Since God is the author and creator of my limits, then it is probably OK with Him that I have limits.

He probably does not expect me to be infinite and is a little surprised when I try.

It is OK with Him if I am not all things to all people all the time all by myself.

As a matter of fact, it is probably not OK with Him if I assume otherwise.

You see, it is OK for me to have limits - God doesn't.

It is OK to get a good night's sleep- God doesn't sleep.

It is OK for me to rest- God doesn't need to.

It is probably even OK to be depressed- because God isn't.

We do not know a lot about what heaven looks like, but this much we know:

God is not pacing the throne room anxious and depressed because of the condition of the world.

He knows, He is not surprised, and He is sovereign.

It is OK if we have limits. He is able.

-Richard A Swenson, The Overload Syndrome