Making Room for God's agenda

I am an incessant list maker. Maybe even a bit obssessive-compulsive about making lists. I remember when I was in college, I'd post a list of things to do next to the doorw of my bedroom of our guys' apartment.

Maybe I'm such a listmaker because I'm a natural scribbler. Possibly I do this because I'm a visual person. And I'm sure this trait is also due to the fact that I love accomplishing tasks.

Susan makes fun of my lists at times -- especially when on the weekend I put things on the list like "Shower and dress." Would I really pass up that task? I hope not -- neither would my family! On Saturday mornings I'm usually up earlier than Susan and so by the time she rises I've had my quiet time, made a long "things to do" list and am already working on tasks. Most Saturdays we sit down and plan our day together. And invariably she'll look at my list and suggest that I cross out half of the tasks, saying something like, "Jimminy, there is no way you can get all this done in one day." To which I sheepishly reply, "But I'd like to try."

My wife also encourages me to take Sabbath rest seriously and have some down time at least on Sunday afternoons. I know that I need to slow down like this regularly. But I fight it. I want to keep getting stuff done, because I feel constantly behind. And o how I love accomplishing tasks.

Last night I finally picked up a book that Susan has been urging me to read. The talented Canadian writer/pastor Mark Buchanan has hit another home run with this latest -- The Rest of God. Subtitle? "Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath." His words that I read last night hit my thick skull like a two-by-four:

"Drivenness erodes purposefulness. The difference between living on purpose and being driven surfaces most clearly in what we do with time. The driven are fanatical time managers..."

Then Buchanan brings out his trump card -- the lifestyle of Jesus. Our Lord was so purposeful and focused on His mission on earth -- to do the will of the Father, all the way to the cross. And yet Jesus was so often interrupted and saw these interruptions as ministry.

"Jesus didn't seem to keep time. But he noticed. So many people along the way -- blind men, lame men, tax men, pleading fathers, grieving mothers...captured his attention."

Then he applies Jesus' purposeful and yet flexible lifestyle to our daily walk:

"Purposefulnes requires paying attention, ,and paying attention means that we make room for surprise. We become hospitable to interruption. We need... a conviction in our bones that God is Lord of our days and years, and that his purposes and his presence often come disguised as detours, messes, defeats."

I realize that you and I don't need to be controlled by the whims and interruptions of everyone that crosses our paths. Some folks have no boundaries and will take over our lives if we let them. We do need to keep some structure to our days and draw boundaries.

However, as I consider the way Jesus "managed" his time, I'm going to look at my list a bit differently today. Maybe I should write them in pencil. And leave more room for those divine interruptions -- where Jesus has someone in mind or something to teach me that was not on my beloved list.

I want to always make room for God's agenda, knowing that He has some appointments in mind that are the most important tasks of "my" day. Right now that appointment may have come my way. A volunteer doing community service for our ministry just knocked on my door, came in my office and said she is in crisis and needs to pray with me now. I'm going to send this blog and then meet with "Diane" in a few minuts. I pray that God will use me and this appointment He just set up to bless one of His children.

Let's all keep our eyes open this week for those heavenly interruptions. After all, it is His time. We've just been loaned it while on earth.


Jim