The Spiritual Shift: Day #20 Schedules

                        Day #20 Schedules

                                                                 ~Activities~

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" ~I Corinthians 10:12

Imagine that our daily activities were selected or ordered at the start of each day at a drive-thru window:

"Good morning, I would like

• eight hours of sleep
• my eight-hour work day (with commute time it ends up being 9)
• a one-hour fitness class
• two hours in front of the TV to catch up on my current show
• practice my guitar
• do the laundry."

"Thank you, is that everything?"

"No,-uh-um, I can't think,-uh, please add

• shop for groceries
• prepare evening meal."

"No problem, is your order complete?"

"Not quite, please add,

• spend "quality" time with kids and husband
• read Bible, spend time praying."

We can probably see many problems with this situation, and we might also see a flicker of ourselves in this depiction.

In light of the verse at the beginning, I ask that we think back to a song we might have sung in our younger years:

"Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see,

Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see.

There's a Father up above looking down in love,

Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see."

The song goes on for several verses to cover other aspects of our behavior:

Verse 2: "Oh, be careful, little ears, what you hear."

Verse 3: "Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say."

Verse 4: "Oh, be careful, little hands, what you do."

Verse 5: "Oh, be careful, little feet, where you go."

We know that our activities should be a reflection of our priorities.

We know that our schedules should indicate our values.

With that in mind, take a look back at my "order" for the day. What does it say about my priorities? What does it reveal about what I value?

Our routine:

Assessment: What is the current condition of our schedules?

• What is the purpose of this relationship?

• What is the state of this relationship? What is going well? What isn’t?

• What changes need to be made to this relationship?

Adjustment: Does our daily schedule reflect who we are and what we value? How can we adjust and realign so that what is important fits into our schedules first? What can we remove from our schedules?

Jesus' life reflected His priorities and His mission. Even when Jesus was twelve, His life revealed His focus. Luke 2:41-52 gives an account of Jesus' family making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; on the return trip, Jesus' parents are unable to find Jesus. He had stayed behind in the temple courts sitting amongst the teachers.

Luke 2:49

"'Why were you searching for me?' he asked. 'Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?'"

At a young age, Jesus knew there was a purpose and a plan. He lived His life according to God's perfect plan.

Proverbs 16:3

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans."

Proverbs 16:9

"In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps."

Clearly, God knows we have daily activities that we want or need to accomplish. In our fast-paced world, schedules are useful. However, much like my "order" above, are we filling our day with activities that really do not have much value--certainly not from an eternal lens? Are we filling our days with things that will not give us a strong foundation, with things that may even cause us to stumble when confronted by the force of the enemy?

Proverbs 19:21

"Many are the plans in a person's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

I reflect on the above verse with some internal sadness. My interpretation of this verse is a cautionary tale for all. Is there a chance that we have had such a determined plan in our hearts that we were unwilling to follow God's plan, and therefore, we were either disciplined or missed a blessing? The parable of the lost son in Luke 15:11-31 somewhat reflects this idea. The son's actions taught him a lesson, and we can be sure that blessings that were missed in his absence from his family.

Life takes very difficult turns, and the psalm below reflects this. Being honest with God through these moments is important, and God wants to hear from us. While parents enjoy hearing the good that happens in a child's life, no parent wants their child to be suffering alone through the tough times. May David's words encourage each of us to honestly speak to our Maker about our own struggles.

Psalm 143 ~a psalm of David

"LORD, hear my prayer
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous before you.
The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness
like those long dead.
So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.
I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.

Answer me quickly, LORD:
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Rescue me from my enemies, LORD,
for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

For your name's sake, LORD, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant."

Praying to God and entrusting our "tough stuff" with our Creator takes faith. David had that faith. David was aware of all the past ways God had been faithful in his life, and he built these up brick by brick to make a solid foundation for his faith.

Maybe the verses below can be foundational bricks on which we build our faith.

Jeremiah 32:26-27

"Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 'I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?'"

Jeremiah 32: 38-41

"They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul."

Let's go back to my order from the opening. What would you suggest I take off of the order?

Beginning with the most important priorities would be helpful. Prayer and the Holy Spirit will help with this. God will give us steadfastness of purpose. The fruit of the Holy Spirit includes peace and patience and self-control.

One of the best answers we can give to some opportunities that come along is No.

"That sounds like a wonderful opportunity, but it just won't fit into my schedule right now."

2 Timothy 2:4-5

"No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules."

Not only do our daily plans need to reflect our priorities, but they should also be building our faith. David had the courage to face Goliath partially because he knew God had protected him (and gave him victory) over a lion and a bear in past instances in his life. He knew his God; he knew the power of his God.

Do we have the same faith in our God? If not, let us continue to read and to study and to pray for wisdom to build a solid foundation of faith that will help us withstand the storms we face.

Luke 8:22-25

"One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!'
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?' he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.'"

Even as a follower of Christ, we will face storms. Maybe you have been guilty, like me, of having a fit in the midst of the storm. Jesus is calm; Jesus knows the purpose and outcome of this current storm, and we are asked to trust. When we fail to trust and instead wrap ourselves up in our comfortable blanket of pity, complaint, and sorrow, He may look at us and ask just exactly what he asked of the disciples: "Where is your faith?"

The guilt washes over us and chills us right through our blanket of sorrow. We know. We have the past proof that shows just how much Jesus has gotten us through in our lives. Why are we questioning Him during today's storm? "Where is your faith?"

Let us do better. Jesus deserves it.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"

Let us have faith in our Triune God. Let us know the power and the love and the protection of our God. Let us prioritize our lives for eternal purposes and hand over the scheduling of activities to our Maker. In addition, let us weed out those things that are of lesser value, especially if they do not have eternal purposes, "be careful little eyes what you see..."

Prayer: 

Almighty God, we love You and we need You! The choices in this life can be so overwhelming, and we want our lives to please You. Guide us with Your eternal wisdom. We surrender to Your will and Your purpose for our lives. Help us to make loving You and loving others a priority in our lives. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~Matthew 6:21