SOMETHING FOR SLUGGARDS (AND THE REST OF US) TO CONSIDER

 SOMETHING FOR SLUGGARDS (AND THE REST OF US) TO CONSIDER

¶ Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
Proverbs 6:6

It seems to me that when God wants something done, He calls a busy person to do it. There was a time, not that long ago, where most people were busy by default. All of their time and efforts from sun-up to sun-down were spent just trying to survive. But as our civilisation and its economy developed and we increasingly mechanised tasks done by people working manually. This advancement in an economy comes with many benefits. Rather than everyone simply trying to provide for the basics of life, they can now focus on those things that also advance and the well-being of a society. This includes education, the arts, leisure, health-care, and sport. It also allows for people to specialise and focus on, their trade, skill or profession so that they no longer have to grow their own crops or graze their own cattle for milk or meat. Theoretically, it therefore means that people have more time to do things other than work such as those just listed. Yet, rather than being less busy, many people are busier than ever and often these busier-than-ever people feel they are not necessarily getting much done. This general busy-ness has presented challenges for those of us who work in the not-for-profit volunteer sector who rely on the availability of volunteers to help run their organisations and think the Proverbial ant might have something for us to consider about this.

Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
Proverbs 6:7-8

 

TWO TYPES OF BUSY

I’m involved with a big project that involves leaders from other churches around our city. None of these people have time to spare and especially do not have time to waste. Each of them are busy people. They each bring a set of skills and a connection with a network of others that is enabling us to plan and manage one of the biggest city-wide Christian celebrations in the history of Launceston. In observing each of these leaders in this newly formed team, I notice that while they are each busy, and already involved in their own major projects, they are still able to manage to contribute their time into this joint effort. This has helped me to realise that there are two types of busy. We have already introduced the busy person who doesn’t seem to get much done, and now I have introduced a different type of busy person who does seem to be able to get done what needs to be done.

¶ Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
Proverbs 30:24-25

 

PRODUCTIVE AND BUSY

Busy-yet-productive people are like ants in many ways. They have learned how to use their time efficiently and effectively. Like ants, they have learned how to work independently and with others. Like ants, in doing this they seem to be lift objects above their own body weight, and when they work with other similarly busy-yet-productive people, they can do so in ways that seem to defy the laws of physics. Nearly all (if not actually all) of these busy-yet-productive people are people who have been stretched and along that journey have come to realise two important things about being busy-yet-productive:

1. Focus on the important rather than the urgent.

2. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.

Busy-frantic people get caught up in the urgent instead of focusing on the important. Busy-yet-productive people nearly always commence their weeks with a plan — they carry a diary which contains their weekly to do lists and they hold themselves accountable to it. They seem to make time for the important as a priority over the urgent. This is why #2 is actually a restating of #1 — they sabbath. They make the setting aside of time from their usual activity to sabbath. They recognise the importance of sabbathing and what it involves – worshiping God with God’s assembled people, prayerfully surrendering to God, allowing the preached Word to wash and renew their soul, and physically/mentally resting.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

 

CONSIDER ANTS

The Book of Proverbs warns against laziness and instructs readers to consider the ant (Prov. 6:6). In considering the ant we notice that they always live within a colony (a community). Within that colony they each have assigned roles (a purpose). Together they pool their efforts to achieve a common goal (a mission). They intuitively plan and prepare for the future so that they can leave a legacy. They go about their work methodically which seems to resemble good training (a work ethic). No wonder God tells us to consider the ant! Their example is a great benchmark for how a society, a community, and a church is to function. As we read through the New Testament instructions for Christian living we read some very “ant-like” directives for believers-

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16

When we yield to Christ our desires and priorities are transformed. Just as the ant is created by God to “know” what they are to do, the believer finds himself or herself having their will shaped by God resulting in a desire to work for the benefit of others.

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13

The ant-like nature of a Spirit-filled believer is most evident in two ways: their attitude and their supernatural strength to serve. Note these two aspects of a busy-yet-productive believer-

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24

 

GOD ALWAYS STRENGTHENS THOSE HE STRETCHES

There are those who look busy but are not very productive. There is a difference between riding a rocking-horse and riding a horse! There are those who are busy yet are highly productive because they’ve learned to work like an ant which involves managing that their time is focused on (i) maintaining their important relationships, (ii) taking regular sabbaths, (iii) prioritising the important over the urgent, and (iv) cooperating with others. These busy people have learned to recognise God’s open doors and have confidence that the Apostle Paul had – that it is God who gives them supernatural energy to toil, struggle and work to get things done when no-one else thought it possible. If you want to stop being busy and become busy-yet-productive, then learn these lessons from the ant!

For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.
Colossians 1:29

 

Your pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.

MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK!

There are many things in life which we take for granted. Those things which we often take for granted the most are usually the things we value the most. Sadly, it often takes the loss of these things before we realise just how valuable they are to us. I’m using the word things extremely broadly and honestly, probably inappropriately. This is because the ‘things’ that should matter the most to us are not material things.

making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:16

Everyone gets two precious gifts from God for which none of us are thankful anywhere near enough. The first is our life. The second is the time we are given to use it for good. Both of those most precious gifts are of incalculable value. Consider for a moment that if we are prepared to surrender them back to God in this life and time, He will give us eternal life! This infinitely valuable gift comes at the supreme price that God Himself could pay. If you consider all the vain things that charm us most – possessions, riches, good health, popularity, fancy clothes, fine food, new toys – they pale into pathetic insignificance when compared with the infinitely valuable and incomparably extravagant gift of eternal life given to all those who are prepared to surrender their life and time to God. Isaac Watts was so moved by this incomprehensible thought that he wrote-

Isaac Watts

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Have you surrendered your life and you time back to God? Is God the Navigator of your life – or just a passenger? You do not know how much of your life you will have at your disposal, or how much time you have in this life. What a tragedy of eternal proportions would be if you scorned God and His offer of eternal life for the false and vain hope that you could live better without God! Your life and your time are seeds that can only bear fruit when planted in the right soil. Your job is not the right soil. The object of your earthly affection is not the right soil. Your money and possessions are not the right soil. The accolades of the crowd is not the right soil. Surrendering your life and life to God is the only soil that you have been created, designed, and intended to sow your life into!

For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:32-33

When you seek first to sow your time into God’s service, you are developing godliness (Christlikeness), you will be fruitful and effective and position your life for His blessings in this life and in the life to come! 

for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
First Timothy 4:8

The only thing you can take with from this life and time into the next dimension of eternal life and eternity, is your level of godliness (1Tim. 4:8).

We sometimes find them irritating. We sometimes find them annoying. We sometimes find them frustrating. We sometimes wish they would stop interrupting us. People. Some we like. Some we don’t. If we could learn to listen to people, and to see them, I’m sure we would have more time for them. The main way that God ministers His grace to us is via people (1Peter 4:10). I think He does it this way because it develops one of the most desirable virtues of godliness in us – humility. It takes humility to be ministered to by another person. Our pride prevents us from spending time with people who deeply care for us because we know that they will challenge us and make us feel uncomfortable. Our pride prevents us from letting people get too close. Our pride prevents us from being honest with people about how we are struggling. Our pride stops us from reaching out to others because we think our problems mean that they should reach out to us. Our pride stops us from showing hospitality to strangers because strangers are just strange to us. Yet it is the very thing we push out of our lives that God has ordained to enrich our lives!

Our pride stops us from realising the truth that people are more important than we think!

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:10

Being planted in a church brings together in one place of each of these things for our good. It involves our life. It involves our time. It involves people. God has designed for us to each grow by being planted in a church whereby these 5 things happen. Firstly, we worship God in Christ together (Heb. 10:28). This is essential for our souls to be nourished (Col. 2:19). Secondly, we are to come together in united fellowship to encourage one another to good works (Heb. 10:24-25), to receive prayer and to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16). Thirdly, we assemble as the church to receive instruction from God’s Word which also brings insight/inspiration/illumination. Fourthly, we come together as the church to be discipled in godliness so that we can each be more effective in our witness as people see Christ being more fully formed in us by GOD’s Word and Spirit. Fifthly, we multiply our evangelistic effectiveness when we come together because a non-Christian, the apostle Paul tell us, is more inclined to believe when they are in a gathering of believers (1Cor. 14:24).  This is why we meet Sunday morning, and then again Sunday night, and then fortnightly in our Home Groups. God has ordained these gatherings of His people so that you might grow up into Christ (Eph. 4:15-16). He calls this growth, a walk (Col. 2:6). If your walk with Christ has come to a standstill, then something is wrong! Horribly wrong! If your love for God and His church is not growing, then you are not growing! But it does not have to be this way. Father God wants to lead you out of the shadows and into the green pastures where He has prepared a table for you (Psalm 23). Come back to the table and fall in love again with God and His House (Rev. 2:4-5). 

I can guarantee you that church is far more important than any of us think!  

Pastor Andrew

FOCUSSING ON THE IMPORTANT RATHER THAN THE URGENT

COMING INTO FOCUS...

There are so many things that demand our attention and cause us to lose focus. We have urgent lists to complete, repairs to be made, tasks to be done, people to see, children to drop-off and pick up, deadlines to meet, and places to be. In fact, in recent times I have found the pressure to keep up with all these urgent things quite immense. As a leader I know that leadership means carrying extra responsibility which means a higher price has to be paid by a leader. Nehemiah is a fantastic example of this. He led with such diligence that when his people slept, he continued to work. When Nehemiah's people were becoming intimidated by their antagonistic neighbours, he stepped up and gave clear leadership by re-focussing them on God and His mission for them.

Last Sunday night I shared with the church some of the ways I am representing our church and advancing our vision to be a dynamic growing church for all the family reaching our community and beyond. Some of these things include managing 12 websites, managing the Finding Truth Matters teaching ministry, leading LeganaMEDIA, producing radio-ready 1-minute biographies of great Christian leaders, serving as President of ICI Theological College, lobbying politicians on family and moral issues, lecturing for Tabor College, contributing to an upcoming abortion-recovery information campaign (Hope For Women), pioneering an eBay outreach ministry, running a YouTube evangelism and apologetic ministry, setting up and chairing a round table forum of community, business, and church leaders to pool resources and talents to achieve the Great Commission in Tasmania, called Believe In Tasmania and in recent times have been invited to become an executive member of the Australian Christian Churches in Tasmania. Added to this is my involvement in the community as a volunteer junior tennis coach at the Legana Tennis Club where I have been building bridges with many families. With all of these to keep me busy I have learned that it is easy to lose focus if the urgent becomes prioritised over the important.

It is important for the important things to be done before the urgent ones.
Added to these "beyond" responsibilies of leadership on behalf of our church are the ongoing responsibilities of pastoring our church family through teaching, writing and preaching. My pastoral goal is to help equip everyone in our church to be a Biblically-literate ambassador for Christ, ready to give an answer for the hope we have within us. The only way I can keep up with this is to constantly try to ensure that the important is not swamped by the urgent.

I pray that we as a church we will ever keep the important before the urgent. For us as a church we to prioritise our daily devotion and quiet time with the Lord in prayer and His Word. Together we need to prioritise our worship together, our devotion to the teaching of God's Word together (Heb. 10:24-25), and our commitment to our families as our primary witness (1Tim 5:8).

While Winter is always a frustrating time for trying to get the whole church together (sickness, holidays, darkness) it is also a great time for us as a church to re-focus on the important. It is important for us to be prayerful for our church and our witness. Please pray that we will be a good witness for the Lord in our community, neighbourhood and Valley. Please pray that God will show you how you can serve Him within our church and to give you the strength to do it. Please commit to discipleship- being a disciple and discipling. If everyone in our church had a goal -to reach one ~ teach one- we would become increasingly focussed on the important commission that Christ has given us (Matt. 28:18-19).

I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.”
PHILIPPIANS 3:14 NLT

Amen.

Andrew Corbett