Yesterday was not my most productive day. It all started with my morning cup of coffee… which I couldn’t have because my coffee cup was missing. I have a special Arkansas Razorback mug that one of my former deacons gave me in the early 80’s. And now it’s gone-- it was here Wednesday afternood; Thursday morning it was MIA. Obviously some disgruntled LSU fan is holding it hostage. But I spent 30 minutes walking all over the building looking for it… and all before I had my first cup of coffee!
I went by the new Lifeway Bookstore after lunch (used to Norfolk rather than 5 minutes from the house). I wanted to look for some Bible class literature... and pick up a copy of the new Casting Crowns album for Lynn’s birthday. Lifeway didn’t have it, so I went by Heaven and Earth on the way back to the office—they were out of it too. So I decided to download it for her. iTunes Store wouldn’t work for some reason, so I downloaded it from Walmart.com. To make the long story short, the DRM file got screwed up and Media Player crashed. After two hours and three downloads, I finally was able to burn a CD in time to rush out to get Lynn’s pizza and get home by 5:00 p.m.
So yesterday was not a productive day. What struck me as I meditated on that fact (OK, as I griped about it) is how much of the things we do every day are really not all that productive. Maybe it seems productive-- you paid all the bills, mowed the lawn, cooked several meals, washed the car, cleaned out all the gutters and got all your spring cleaning done. That would be a productive day, right? Except all that stuff will need doing again next week, next month, or next year. Isn’t that the point of Ecclesiastes 1:3-11?
So many of the things we do day-to-day aren’t all that productive when you look at eternity, right? We spend so much of our time on things that at the end of the day have no staying power. They aren’t ultimately productive. John says, “The world and everything that people want in it are passing away, but the person who does what God wants lives forever” (1 John 2:17, NCV). We need to be better at two things— (1) spending more time doing things that will last for eternity and (2) looking for God in the ordinary things of life so they are transformed into eternal encounters as well.
It seems to me that we all will end up being more productive if we spend more time looking for God, not just despite the daily grind, but in the daily grind!
13 comments:
Roger found my coffee cup-- washed and put up in a cabinet. But I still think that disgruntled LSU fans were behind it!
Roger "found it."
Sure, Tuck, just keep telling yourself that.
OK... we know that Roger "lost it" long ago, but it this one particular and narrow sense, he found "it" meaning my cup.
After what Arkansas did for WV I felt it my duty to at least find the coffee cup. As to yesterday being productive I think pleasing your wife on her birthday by going through all the grief you experienced made your day productive. Sometimes relationship stuff is way more productive than ticking off a list.
Roger, over and out
Maybe Roger gets it after all!
Go Oklahoma!
I agree with Clifford
Why would anyone want to go to Oklahoma? One would assume that if Mizzou beats the Sooners and WVA beats Pitt, then Mizzou plays UVA for the BCS championship. Mizzou vs WVA? Surely either a playoff or Armeggedon must be just around the corner!
Mabe so. One of my kids in bible study told me at Safehaven yesterday that they heard the first couple of trumpets have already sounded. :)
Go Mountaineers!!!
What’s an LSU? . . . Someone has been using my white coffee cup as a pencil holder as there are evident graphite ovals inside the bottom of the cup and I am reminded that I was keeping pencils in it to remind me to cut back on the coffee. . . by the way did you know that by drinking a cup of coffee before you attempt a new task you will retain more of the information than you would if you had no coffee at all but not as much as you will if you get a good nights sleep. What’s in Oklahoma? Sooners or later everyone gets beat! I thought we had that Armageddon thing settled a long time ago and there will 2 be a playoff..
In all seriousness I find all those tasks quite pleasant and grounding as I move about planting, weeding, harvesting, and getting the compost started for next years crop. It is in being aware that those temporal things are just that that I know it is all for God’s glory, in the end, even the most beautiful and permanent foundations laid by man will not stand the test of eternity, being aware that as important and urgent as they seem at the time and that they must be done. They are in fact temporary and nothing compared to the everlasting voice that will echo throughout his time.
“Have no fellowship with the darkness” as you reach out to the non Christian world do not become like the world or they will not get the message. Yet stay in the light as you reach out into the darkness and ignite a holy fire with a holy fire and the darkness will draw away from you!”
I have been inspired by “Tuck” and his most recently available sermon. I have become more productive thanks to him.
Thanks Oaklahoma! Thanks Pittsburgh! Go Ohio State!
Post a Comment