Managing the Pace of Life
Luke 5:12-16
Think of the person you’ve know who did the most, accomplished the most on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
One of the busiest and most efficient people I’ve ever known is Lisa Smith, our church secretary. She hits the ground running on Mondays and during the course of the week accomplishes an extraordinary amount of work.
On her last week before vacation she found the time to accomplish 2 weeks worth of her regular duties in addition to helping with the clothes closet and food pantry AND keeping me out of trouble at least 6 different times! She’s a busy woman!
How many of you know that as time goes by we only get busier? Some folks once believed that the advent of technology would do so much to relieve us of mundane jobs that the forty hour work week would become obsolete. Instead we drive down the road texting & talking on the cell phone. We have to “multi-task” on our computers in order to be more productive.
We’re busy people!!
Jesus was a busy man. When we meet him here in Luke chapter 5 here are some of the ministry events that have already taken place:
• He’s been baptized
• He’s been tempted for 40 days
• He has taught in the synagogues of the region of Galilee
• He’s driven out an evil spirit in Capernaum
• He has healed Simon’s mother-in-law and many others
• He has chosen some of his closest disciples
• He has healed a man with leprosy
This was a man with a happening ministry. Let’s read our text in Luke 5, starting with verse 12.
Luke 5:12-16
It’s right here that I want to just stop and say, “Wait a minute! Are you kidding me? There are people searching you out from all around the area for your teaching and healing ministries and you sometimes just walk away?”
It’s seems almost ridiculous. Think about what we know:
• Jesus would have a ministry lasting only about 3 ½ years
• He’s the Son of God
• There is only ONE Son of God
• Following his resurrection he will return to heaven for at least 2,000 years.
This is prime opportunity to do ministry. “Hey Jesus! You can pray and rest all you want when you get back to heaven. Let’s man up and do some ministry today!”
But that’s when I remember something I read one time.
In John chapter 13 there’s a story about Jesus taking a time-out during the evening meal one night and washing the feet of his friends. Now believe me when I say that they were just blown away by this. They had a pretty good handle on who He was by now and there was just no way they could see how this was appropriate.
Jesus explains a principle to them in John 13:15 that I think applies whenever we examine the life of Jesus:
John 13:15-17 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is great than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I fully understand that Jesus’ immediate meaning here spoke to servanthood. His friends were to emulate the humility and love displayed by Jesus in this beautiful act of foot-washing.
But I think there’s more at stake here. Jesus’ ministry is quickly coming to a close and He is doing all the things necessary to bring their training – or “discipleship” – to a its’ conclusion. His greater statement here could well be inclusive of the entirety of his ministry when he says, in effect, “You’re not somehow going to get by doing less than I have done. Do what you’ve seen me do, not just today, but for the last 3 ½ years!”
What did he do? For 3 ½ years, at strategic times, he controlled the pace of life and ministry by going to lonely places to pray.
We might say, “Sure, when things get tough I like to go and pray. When I’m facing a really busy week or family relationships have been especially difficult, or maybe when I’ve been depressed or the finances have been tight, I’ll take some time to get alone with God.”
That’s a great habit to have. There’s no better place to turn when things seem to be going the wrong way or getting out of control. We intuitively know we need to manage the pace of life when we’re in the valley and get with God. But I want you to see something about Jesus. Look at the times when he slowed things down:
• Right before being baptized in the Holy Spirit
• Immediately following a powerful ministry experience
• The night before a big decision (choosing disciples)
• Prior to teaching his friends how to pray
The principle at work seems to be that if we’re going to reach maximum effectiveness in life AND ministry – and we should be engaged in both every day – then we must have “down-times” when our batteries recharge, emotions calm and our spirits are restored.
How do those times look?
I’ve often been intimidated by the idea that I have to go and “talk” to God for hours on end to receive the results I’m searching for. What I’ve come to realize is that the “talking” to God is only a part of the overall equation – and that sometimes it needs to be a lot smaller part than I make it.
• Solitude – aloneness, separation from the distractions the day-to-day world brings to our lives.
• Quieting of the mind.
• Meditation. Thoughtfulness.
• Listening. Allowing God to Speak.
Some amazing revelations can come out of those moments.
One of the reasons we are so busy is that we have prioritized poorly – as we talked about last week – and are in the position of believing we are so vital and important to all the things we’re involved in that we are the only ones who can get them done.
We’re basically so busy because we’re the god of our own lives.
Perhaps the greatest value in controlling the pace of life and finding “down-times” is that when we get quiet God gets an opportunity to re-establish authority over our lives.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the natiosn. I will be exalted in the earth.
You have to know that in the moments when people were seeking out Jesus even when he was kind of avoiding them, there was a temptation to bask in the spotlight and enjoy what had become a very successful ministry. Jesus came to earth in human form and it is in human nature to become prideful and give ourselves credit for what God is doing, or seek the adulation of men rather than the exaltation of God.
But Jesus didn’t give in to the temptation. Why? Because of Luke 5:16. He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
We would do well to follow his example. When we fail to control the pace of life we risk making ourselves to important to the process and taking God’s place on the throne of our lives.
How do we avoid that? “Down-times.”
Prioritize it. We talked last week about finding the right priorities in life. This is one of them. Plug it into your thinking. Make it a part of your spiritual DNA – the stuff you’re made of. Jesus did. It says he did this how much? “Often!”
You might ask how it’s possible to wedge one more thing into you busy schedule. Here’s the answer: Undo something else. Some of us are just too busy for our own spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. We’re doing so many things, staying so busy with stuff that’s OK, but not really the best.
Eliminate a club. Get by without a sport. Take a television program off your schedule. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Give control of your priorities back to God – today!
Then begin to apply the two principles we’ve seen so far:
• Seek first the kingdom of God
• Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
