After taking several time management courses, I decided I would not take another unless they guaranteed I would have 25 hours in a day.
Here’s how bad it was: When I was working, my favorite day of the year was the day we switched from daylight savings to standard time. That day, and only that day, had 25 hours. Just one hour made a big difference to me. Sad. Sick. Silly.
Jesus’ Time Managment
Jesus never prayed for 25 hours per day. He was busy, but we never get the sense He hurried. He seemed to take as long as necessary with whoever He was with or whatever He was doing.
Here is one busy Sabbath for Jesus: He taught in the synagogue at Capernaum. In the synagogue, He cleansed a demon-possessed man. He left the synagogue, entered Simon’s house and healed Simon’s mother-in-law. “Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.” Luke 4:31-41.
“And when it was day, He departed and went into a desolate place” (Luke 4:42).
In His last week: “And every day He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and lodged on the Mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him” (Luke 21:37-38).
Jesus knew why He had been sent (for example: Luke 4:42-43; Luke 9:21-22; Luke 18:31-33), but didn’t plan out His days in 15 minute blocks.
He did the Father’s work as it came. He initiated some interactions, but generally people came to Him, “He welcomed them and He spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing” (Luke 9:11).
Jesus did not do everything He could have done. He did not heal everyone. He didn’t travel the world. He didn’t write a book. But Jesus completed the work the Father had given Him to do. (John 17:4)
Implications for Us
When we become clear about our purpose, it becomes easier to make the most of our time. (Ephesians 5:15-16, Colossians 4:5.)
When we know the work the Father prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10), it becomes easier to discern which interruptions are opportunities and which would take us off course.
Jesus spent many hours in prayer. The days I pray about my “to-do” list, in fact, make my “to-do” list a prayer list, the list often gets shorter, and the days better.
One item that should always be on our “to-do” lists, even for those who don’t prepare “to-do” lists, is to be available to our Lord. We should never be slaves to our plans, but servants to God.
We always should remember there isn’t ever enough time to do everything we might like to do, even for a retiree, but there is always enough time to do what God wants.
Remember, God is not on our schedules. Let’s be on His.
