THAT WHICH MATTERS MOST

THAT WHICH MATTERS MOST

Yesterday was one of those crazy days where I found myself saying to my
self, "Stop the world, I want to get off!" Ever have one of those days
that just seem out of control? Well in my quiet time this morning I read
this words from Dr. Mark Swenson, writer of the powerful devotional, A
MINUTE OF MARGIN . . .

"Life has a way of getting away from us, of cascading out of control.
Soon we are scrambling to keep our balance, desperately trying to keep
our head above water. At such moments, we are seldom guided by
transcendent principles but instead by survival pure and simple. When
the phone is ringing and the doorbell is ringing and the kids are
fighting and the baby is crying and we are trying to get ready for a
meeting that started ten minutes ago, it is hard to sustain lofty
thoughts. Priorities are lost in the din. And modernity, to be sure, has
lots of din.

Inherent in understanding about overload is the need to prioritize. If
our lives are besieged with excessive clutter, crowded schedules, and
continuous interruptions, then we have some choices to make. If we have
more to do than we can possibly do, then we have some decisions to make.
[And if we are too busy to spend time with the Lord -- WE ARE TOO BUSY!]
And such choices and decisions, if pursued wisely, will be guided by
eternal priorities and God-honoring criteria.

Many people often do not consciously realize what their priorities are.
A French anthropologist, Claude Levi-Strauss, once remarked, 'History is
something that happens to people; what happens is always different from
what people would rather have done.' Upon first reading that statement,
I realized it was both true and tragic. Priorities DO matter.

The following are principles to use in establishing and guarding our
priorities:

1. Obtain priorities from God's Word.
2. Look through God's eyes, and then act on what is seen.
3. Seek first the kingdom of God, and everything else later.
4. People are more important than things.

'Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that
matter last.' (Goethe) Listen to God's advice. Take control of each area
of your life where He has given explicit instructions. When you bring
your balancing problems to God, you will discover that He never assigns
you twice as much as you can possibly do. Instead the Father reveals the
appropriate priorities to use and then always provides whatever time and
resources are needed to accomplish His will."

These were good words that I needed to hear, especially after a crazy
day yesterday. Thank You, Lord, for speaking to my heart.

A MINUTE OF MARGIN (NavPress) can be ordered at the KESWICK ONLINE
BOOKSTORE -- www.americaskeswick.org.