Selah
Often at this time of year we can find ourselves occupied by so many things: work commitments, family commitments, running essential errands. Even the more enjoyable leisure activities and social events take planning and organising and before we know it our calendars are full; our minds are busy and our time taken up. Yet time is one of the most precious gifts we have in this life- it can’t be bought or replaced; it can’t be returned. Who we spend our time with is significant. How we spend our time matters. What we spend our time on is important.
The world seems to shout at us that there is time for everything-we can do it all! We can do it all and apparently all at once: endless multitasking in our own multiverses – this, we are told, is what it looks like to live a productive life. How often do we buy into this lie? How often too, are we plagued by the fear of missing out (FOMO)? How often do we find ourselves on that hamster wheel running from one thing to another? Not just juggling social calendars but struggling under the weight of pursuits. All the while patting ourselves on the back for being such good go- getters?
How much of our time is spent expending ourselves?
A Time for Stillness
Instead of spending our time-the currency of our lives, trying to cram in everything, we should take heed of King Solomon’s revelation in Ecclesiastes 3 that “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven” and perhaps also understand that there MUST be a time for stillness.
Stillness- A time to pause and just be. A time to reflect. A time to quietly glory in God’s goodness- with no agenda, no outcomes to measure, nothing to check off, nowhere to be. The Bible is replete with scripture verses on stillness and resting in God.
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength
Isaiah 30:15
We are reminded of the importance of allowing God to lead us, “beside quiet waters” as he “refreshes [our] soul”
Jesus himself said to his disciples “Come away by yourselves to a quiet place and rest a while…” Mark 6:31
In Hebrews we learn of a Sabbath-rest for the people of God, “…for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his” As humans we need physical rest from activity and labours and as Christians we are blessed to enter into salvation- deliverance from toiling under sin’s scourge, from the impossible demand to keep the law, from the threat of striving to no avail and never having peace.
This is why we share the gospel so that all may enter into that rest- but this rest that has been won for us is also to be enjoyed to the fullest on this earth, during our human lives, at this time.
Press Pause
Should we not then seek to redeem the time we have by intentionally and purposefully pressing the pause button so that we can enjoy what Christ died to gift us? I hope you are encouraged to pencil in time for stillness in your calendars and lives.
Timali Ebanks is a follower of Jesus, cherished wife and mother of a beloved motley crew. When she is not enthusiastically expounding on the joys of delving into literature and engaging students in copious amounts of reading and analysis, she enjoys bouts of writing and adventures of all sorts.
