July 31, 2011
God’s Speed Limit
My Zambian colleague and I laughed almost uncontrollably watching our fellow professor. He was late for a class, jumped out of my truck, and raced across campus. What made it so funny was his hair flowing straight out behind him because he was running so fast. We both teased him on our way home. “You did something today Jesus never did.” He inquisitively reacted, “What?” In unison we replied, “Jesus never ran”.
In the late 90’s a small book came out called, “Tyranny of the Urgent”. The book begins with this question, “Have you ever wished for a thirty-hour day?” We may imagine this would be such a great relief. But the reality is – we would just fill those six hours with more to do. I always chuckled when I heard a former employer say, “You’ll have more time if you work smarter and not harder.” Of course, the staff knew that meant with more time, he could give us more work to do.
We live in a fast pace world. The hardest adjustment my family and I made when we returned after four years in Africa was the non-stop tempo of living. I wrote last week, “God is always on time”. He doesn’t get in a hurry. SO? Why should we? God didn’t make a mistake, when He made the day to have just 24 hours. Neither did He err when He fashioned a week with seven days. Note what God did on the seventh day. He rested and enjoyed what He accomplished in that week.
The lesson for us is this: “Slow down! God has set a speed limit to life.” But slowing down requires effort plus a lot of adjustment. First, you must realize that you are not going to save the world. God has gifted and designated you to accomplish only a small part of the whole task. Serving God is like not like picking cotton. God doesn’t weigh our accomplishments by the pound. Rather, He evaluates by our faithfulness to the task. Second, I taught my students repeatedly the most important word we have to learn is—NO. I realized years ago, if the devil can’t get you to be lazy and to accomplish nothing for God, he will prompt you to do so much that you aren’t effect with any of it. A cliché I’ve heard many pastors say, “if you want something accomplished, find a busy man”. Yes, a busy man or woman will work that much harder to get it done. But, this already over-worked person, who won’t say ‘no’, needs to realize they eventual become ineffectiveness and burnout.
The writer of Hebrews states, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God . . . let us be diligent to enter that rest (Heb 4:4, 11). This is not only a spiritual rest, but also implies a physical rest. God designed us with spiritual and physical limitations. Also, God created time with its limits. It is impossible for anyone to work 24/7. Because we are finite humans, we have to rest. If we don’t, we will die. Think about how many people you have known who died because of the stress of fast-paced living.
Paul tells Timothy to pray that he may lead a tranquil and quiet life (1 Tim 2:2). That doesn’t sound like someone racing at high speed through life or ministry. God’s not in a hurry. Why are you?
Sustaining Word for the Week:
God has set ‘speed-limits’ for our lives. Are you speeding? Slow down, so you can enjoy, rest, and be effective in what God has designed and gifted you to do.
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