What Matters most?

“There is a time for everything

 And a season for every activity under Heaven.

 A time to be born and a time to die,

 A time to plant and a time to uproot,

 A time to kill and a time to heal,

 A time to tear down and a time to build,

 A time to weep and a time to laugh,

 A time to mourn and a time to dance.”

                                Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4

 

“As I get older the squares seem to get smaller.  One day I will walk into a square that has no door to another one.  One of these squares will be terminal and I don’t know which square it will be.” Lewis Smedley

 

Visual aid

The glass jar is your life The sand is all the things you feel obliged to do

Tennis balls? Work. Commitments Personal tasks Household tasks Technology Social obligations Car Recreation Unexpected

It’s been estimated that the minimum requirement of hours needed for the average person in a day is 36!

Tennis balls?

The really important things that I need in my life?

"Seek first His (God’s) Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well"     Matthew 6:33

GOD

I need to make time to talk to Him, to listen to Him and to read His Word.

PEOPLE

Meaningful relationships are vital. Relationships take time.  It’s marinating not micro-waving. Thomas Carlyle

 CALLING

I need to fulfil what God wants for my life, developing and using the gifts He’s given.  I need more of the character of  Christ to be formed in me.

JOY

I want people to know that being a follower of Christ is  LIFE and JOY.    

“I’ve done the research and I hate to tell you that everybody dies – joggers, vegetarians, non-smokers and non-drinkers.  I’m telling you this so that some of you who jog at 5.a.m. and eat vegetables will occasionally sleep late and have an ice-cream.”

No space in the jar for what matters most!  Jesus’ analysis of  Life

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own”                                  Matthew 6: 34

    

Trouble today…Trouble tomorrow. We live in a fallen world. Start your day with an empty jar Give your time to what matters most God will give you enough time to do what He wants you to do. For each day there’s a square and you and I must choose how to fill it.

You must choose.