Time Management
This morning it was 75 degrees before 8 a.m. I made the Sunday morning trek to Lamar’s donuts. After a while I think they will just start putting aside our order before we call and arrive!
Our son Christian was speaking today at the four services of Mile High Vineyard. We were keeping him in our thoughts and prayers and wish we could have been there. I needed some time this morning to get moving after some of my normal morning routine. I awoke with some upper chest discomfort, but fortunately it went away after a while. We did enjoy our coffee and devotional time on the patio.
This afternoon our friends Former State Representative Jim and Patsy Kerr stopped by to visit. We enjoyed our visit and lunch together. We were able to send them off with some of the strawberries from our garden. I served with Jim my entire six years in the legislature. Patsy served as our bookkeeper at Teen Challenge for several years and demonstrated a great heart for our work there. It was great to reflect on our years of together and share some of the joys and challenges of legislative service. Jim was one of those who knew how to take on tough and challenging policy issues.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Mark 1:35-38
The Gospel of Mark is viewed as the oldest gospel. It is also the shortest. Mark is about action and he gets right to the point. He touches on some key events in the first chapter that take several chapters to cover in the other gospels.
When Jesus comes to Capernaum the home of Simon and Andrew He taught in the synagogue, drove out demons and then went to Peter’s home where He healed his mother-in-law of a high fever (what many historians believe was actually the bubonic plague that was raving the region at that time.)
These events get people’s attention, we read, “The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases…” Mark 1:33,34
1 – We need time with the Father
We see into Jesus’ personal relationship with God the Father when scripture records that he got up while it was still dark and went to a place of prayer. If Jesus as the Son of God needed to have time with the Father to be in step with the Father’s directions and plans for His life, how much more do we today.
Jesus ministry was close to only three years. I’ve heard of some “church plants” that have experienced rapid growth and high impact in a relatively short time; but I don’t know of any single leader who amassed the following and impact in less than three years than Jesus did. His time was limited and He had only 24 hours in each day. So what He did each day was important and strategic.
2 – Jesus did not give in to the demands of the crowd
Jesus ministry was off to wild acclaim. The needs were great, the number of people were large and the anticipation was high. When Jesus disciples found Him they exclaimed, “everyone is looking for you!” There response made it sound like Jesus missed a curtain call. But Jesus was not into following the demands of the crowd, but fulfilling the will of the Father. This was not a time for an encore, it was time to move on.
3 – Jesus knew His purpose and destiny
Jesus was quick to tell His disciples that it was time to move on. “Let’s go elsewhere…that I may preach there also, for that why I have come.” Those words are words of direction, purpose and destiny. I do notice Jesus did not say that I may “heal there also” or that “I may perform miracles there also” but that I may “preach.” Jesus message, like John the Baptist’s was calling people to repentance, preparing them for the kingdom of God, sharing with them good news. Healing and miracles verified His deity but the “good news” is about a restored relationship with God the Father through Christ.
In modern day leadership lingo, “Jesus kept the main thing, the main thing.” Jesus was following the road map the Father had laid out for Him. But just like you and I, He needed to spend time with the Father to discover the next step, the next priority.
We can find a lot of books about how to be successful, how to manage our lives and our time. It seems that in a simple way that Jesus models the basics of what that takes. Understand your purpose and priorities and seek the Father daily for His guidance. As you do He will give the wisdom, strength and favor that is needed.