An accident occurred. A father and daughter died. Another daughter was severely injured. The family of five became three.
Later, my friend said that hurrying wasted their time together.
Why do we hurry?If, you feel the guilt when you read the story, then, please know I am right there with you. I have spent a lot of my time in a hurry. Being in a hurry has become a way of life for most of us. But. Do we understand how being in a hurry wastes the time we have to live? It seems to me the perception of hurrying is that we are taking care of business. The thing is . . . when we are in a hurry we are distracted from the business of life that really matters . . . and we have wasted time.
Taking the focus off what is really important has been a problem throughout history. Story after story is recorded about how people have been distracted and focused on things that did not matter in the end. It really is the story of the people in the book of Isaiah. The people gradually lost their love for God as they focused more on the stuff of life rather than the Source of life. Then in 586 B.C . . . . life changed . . . Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem . . . burned the Temple . . . invaded the land . . . killed . . . enslaved . . . drove the people from their homes . . . their lives were devastated.
Isaiah redirected the focus of life. So. Let's wise up in the Word of God:
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28, NRS)The people were in captivity. Hurry . . . busyness . . . the urgent can put us in captivity. Take a look at how the words of Isaiah applies to the issue of hurrying:
The LORD is the everlasting God:
Awareness of the presence of God requires intentionality, which is missed when we are in a hurry. The effort to recognize His presence changes how we perceive and manage life.
Take an intentional God-break today. Focus on God. It is the presence of God, His Spirit, that reveals what is important and matters.
The Creator of the ends of the earth:
Those of us in the western world have become people that hurry, missing what is important. The thing is . . . humanity has been created for more . . . to not only know God but to be in an ongoing, participating, engaged relationship with the Creator of the ends of the earth.
Take time to pray, engage with God, asking Him to direct how you do life.
He does not faint or grow weary:
Whether we know it or not, God is always working on our behalf. What we see now . . . in this dimension . . is not all of the story . . . there is so much more going on. Ephesians 1:18 tells us that we are given eyes to see. I don't want to look back on my life and see that I missed what God was doing. I want to see what God wants me to see now.
Ask God to let you see what is important through eyes of faith.
His understanding is unsearchable:
God understands everything . . . waiting for you and I to come to Him . . . never in a hurry. When we are in a hurry, our focus is on the stuff rather than on God and who and what He has given us to focus on.
Determine to slow down and focus on God and who and what you are to focus on.
Remember life is fragile . . . be attentive and intentional to what is important . . . through the presence of God. Refuse to waste the time you have to live.Learning to Kickstart the day slowed down, paying attention to God, intentionally aware of the gift of time,
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)