TO FILL A LITTLE SPACE

Several years ago I raised the question to an audience I was addressing: “What will be on your ‘to do list’ when Christ calls you to Himself?” This issue needs to be faced and continually answered by every child of God.

This has to do with the priorities we set for ourselves on the basis of the guidelines God Himself had already offered in His Word. Our priorities, if they are of any value, need to reflect divine priorities.

With this in mind, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe recognized in one of his books that “having priorities is a mark of maturity.” Unquestionably, only those who develop discernment, those who seek to advance in all aspects of life, those who can manifest consistent growth toward maturity, will understand how imperative setting priorities is!

The dictionary defines the term “priority” as “superiority in rank, position, or privilege”; “a preferential rating”; “something meriting prior attention.” The dictionary has also added the verb “prioritize” as an official, proper designation of the act of arranging one’s priorities.

Attention to priorities has to do with the organization of one’s essential tasks on a descending order: from the most significant to the least important. For the Christian it entails the place given in one’s life to God, family, occupation, friends, and leisure.

Having priorities is an exercise in Christian obedience, because the Bible exhorts God’s children to do all things decently and in order, to aim at the best, most efficient results in any endeavor, and to act responsibly in the appropriation and utilization of the hours and days set before us!

Time is a commodity which, once lost, can never be recaptured. Sadly, due to neglect in setting priorities many poor stewards of God’s resources waste so much time instead of filling their moments with productive actions which benefit themselves and others, and glorify God.

Without ever being slaves to time, we need to apportion our minutes and hours effectively, so as to accomplish all our tasks, and still enjoy what is left for leisure moments which are also essential for balanced living. People should plan a certain number of hours for nightly sleep, for what it takes to go to work, to accomplish one’s daily tasks, to return home, and to achieve whatever else is scheduled for additional obligations and pleasure activities. No rigidity is necessary, but lack of planning issues into frustrating, unpleasant experiences.

The author of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes put it best when he declared: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (3:1). We shall benefit from that only on the basis of setting priorities, and observing them with the wisdom from God, and His grace always sufficient unto any and every endeavor!

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