We are well into the new year, 2015, even though it seems just like a couple of weeks ago it was 2014. And it was, as time flies by when you get older and you remember many 'new years'. 'Time waits for no one' as the old saying goes. But a new year is the time to take review of things accomplished and to set new goals with fresh optimism for the future. So, Happy New Year!
One of the resolutions I've made for myself and my wife is to have more margin. There's a good book entitled "Margin" from Richard A Swenson, M.D., that we read some twenty years ago as we were in the thick of raising six kids, holding down jobs, and being active in the church. The book's thesis is "Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, And Time Reserves To Overloaded Lives." It was a great idea so it seemed at the time, but we didn't do so well as it's always difficult to accomplish. Yet it was just the prescription we needed to find a balance in our crazy busy lives.
Now it's 2015 and we are way down the road and have become empty nesters with much different time demands from our kids. Certainly, there's no argument that we cannot change gears and come out of overdrive and slow down. Isn't it time to smell the roses at least a little bit? So we've decided to seek a little more 'margin' and work for more quality and less quantity in our activities. Not a bad idea I believe as we look at the wider scope of life and how quickly life changes and people can be missed. It's good to see the big picture when making resolutions if we can.
The big picture I believe includes seeing God's priorities and perspective. This has always been a factor in setting goals for our lives and we need to make adjustments with every new season of life. Twenty years ago it was good to seek a margin but that may have resulted in a thirty-minute break after the kids go to bed. Now it may mean taking three days to go to a conference for spiritual and fellowship renewal. And that is a great blessing indeed.
The Bible is the greatest book and has lots to say about our time, and also eternity. One must wonder if eternity is an endless amount of time or the absence of time altogether. Either one is hard to imagine. But here and now we can make the most of our time with God's wisdom. We can see a greater perspective from God's Word than from our single day-to-day perspective of the here and now.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 we read, "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance." These interesting parallels continue through verse eight, and they all relate to everyday life.
In this passage we see a litany of comparisons from one activity to another as there is a season for everything. The overall perspective is that God is in ultimate control, he is the one who sees the end from the beginning and he is above all time and events. He is eternal, omniscient, and benevolent. And thus we can trust him as we live for him in his grace and truth, in this year and the next.
FAITH TODAY: Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."
One of the resolutions I've made for myself and my wife is to have more margin. There's a good book entitled "Margin" from Richard A Swenson, M.D., that we read some twenty years ago as we were in the thick of raising six kids, holding down jobs, and being active in the church. The book's thesis is "Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, And Time Reserves To Overloaded Lives." It was a great idea so it seemed at the time, but we didn't do so well as it's always difficult to accomplish. Yet it was just the prescription we needed to find a balance in our crazy busy lives.
Now it's 2015 and we are way down the road and have become empty nesters with much different time demands from our kids. Certainly, there's no argument that we cannot change gears and come out of overdrive and slow down. Isn't it time to smell the roses at least a little bit? So we've decided to seek a little more 'margin' and work for more quality and less quantity in our activities. Not a bad idea I believe as we look at the wider scope of life and how quickly life changes and people can be missed. It's good to see the big picture when making resolutions if we can.
The big picture I believe includes seeing God's priorities and perspective. This has always been a factor in setting goals for our lives and we need to make adjustments with every new season of life. Twenty years ago it was good to seek a margin but that may have resulted in a thirty-minute break after the kids go to bed. Now it may mean taking three days to go to a conference for spiritual and fellowship renewal. And that is a great blessing indeed.
The Bible is the greatest book and has lots to say about our time, and also eternity. One must wonder if eternity is an endless amount of time or the absence of time altogether. Either one is hard to imagine. But here and now we can make the most of our time with God's wisdom. We can see a greater perspective from God's Word than from our single day-to-day perspective of the here and now.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 we read, "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance." These interesting parallels continue through verse eight, and they all relate to everyday life.
In this passage we see a litany of comparisons from one activity to another as there is a season for everything. The overall perspective is that God is in ultimate control, he is the one who sees the end from the beginning and he is above all time and events. He is eternal, omniscient, and benevolent. And thus we can trust him as we live for him in his grace and truth, in this year and the next.
FAITH TODAY: Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."
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