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| Living a Balanced Life ... |
July 7, 2009 |
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Greetings!
I've just returned from an extended vacation with Kim and it was incredible. Not only was the trip terrific as a vacation from the pace of ministry and duty, it was spiritually enlightening.
We returned last week to celebrate the 4th with the kids. Coming home I knew I would have an adjustment back to "life" but wasn't ready for the type of transition that has happened. It seems I lost something on the trip.
When you have multiple days of no agenda, no cell phone, no emails, no pressing meetings and the toughest decision is where to eat or what part of the beach to lay on ... life just isn't like here. I came back thinking I would just "jump" back in and now I am not sure I want to.
The scripture that keeps hitting me is from an Old Testament prophet named Haggai. Haggai prophesied to Israel in a time of busyness. Israel was busy just and neglected to simply rest in and enjoy the Lord. Man, can I relate.
This trip opened my eyes to see that I need to slow down. Ambition isn't all it is seems. There is great peace in finding your place and enjoying what God has provided. Creating, developing, churning and always being in motion just flat wears me out. I needed this vacation not for the get-away but to remind me to get away from pace and hurry and slow my roll and enjoy God! He is there and He wants to hang out!
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Leave the "Rat Race" and find rest in God
5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! 6 " You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes." 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the LORD. 9 "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
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| Slow Down and Enjoy Fellowship with Jesus ... Don't outrun God
Coming home, my children have noticed a change in my pace. They say I am "spaced out", "day-dreaming", and un-motivated. I have no answer. I am wrestling with the tension to "do" and to "be". To "be" is winning and to "do" is dying. Balance is my quest.
I have jumped back into God's Word for clues in this journey and found Hebrews 11:6 as a New Testament response to Haggai's call to "consider your ways". The author tells us, "6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
I want to diligently seek God and diligently serve God. In the past I have erred on service. It is a time of seeking. To do this I need to slow and commune. I recognize that God is a God of fellowship and I have been a person of busyness. Busyness and fellowship don't go hand in hand. Busyness loathes fellowship. Fellowship slows down and shares while busyness runs and frets. Fellowship states, "let's stay awhile" while busyness screams, "I must hurry".
Friend, consider your ways. Where are you in relationship with God. Are you like me and often too busy or too tired from being to busy? Consider your ways. It is not about getting up earlier or setting a certain time, although this may help. It is about changing perspective and allowing God to invade the mundane. See Him in everything and enjoy everything as a gift from Him.
It has been said that man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. This is a good saying. I strive to find balance in glorifying God through service and enjoying Him in fellowship. I am learning to consider my ways and strive to find balance. I do not want to follow the world nor an embrace of the world's ambition. If I enjoy Him I know I will serve Him well and bring Him glory but to think I can serve Him through busyness and find joy is to think like a slave. Thanks God for freedom!
Consider your ways ...
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For King and Kingdom,
Randy Martin |
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