List Making

The past couple of weeks have forced me to do something I rarely do. Make a list. I found myself overwhelmed by the shear number of "to do" items bouncing around in my brain, and discovered that I was hanging on to the ragged edge of panic. My brother-in-law Gary is famous in our family for his list. He started this list about 30 years ago, and because of the numerous revisions and additions he has yet to experience the sense of closure that comes with marking everything "off." This knowledge of his particular plight always nags at me when I finally succumb to the creation of my own list. I don't want these chores hanging over my head for the next 30 years! However, I do acknowledge the need to sort things out, prioritize and FINISH SOMETHING. So I began by just making a list. Then I decided which task was most pressing, which was second and so on. Then I made another list, putting the items in descending order, beginning with the most pressing first. After a re-evaluation of my ranking, another list had to be created. Finally, I was ready to get to work. I created my list on Wednesday, January 25th. It contains 8 items. Today, I will be able to cross off 3 of the items. According to my plan, I should be able to cross off at least 1 more by the end of the weekend. I have to cross off 1 more by Monday, the 20th, and Monday, March 5th.

I've been reminded of the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:8&9: "All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Sometimes it just feels like I'm spinning my wheel like a hamster in a cage. I expend all of this energy, but it always feels like I'm doing little more than repeating the same thing over and over again. Creating my list helps me to get a better perspective; it allows me to see where I have been stuck in a rut, or non-productive; it gives me the opportunity for closure as items are taken care of. I think that too often Christians get into this same feeling of just going through the motions without getting anywhere. When that happens, we need to find a way to see things from a different perspective. We need to decide if we are devoting our time to those things that are most important; we need to focus on those things that will make a Kingdom difference in our lives and the lives of the people in our sphere of influence; we need to renew our sense of purpose and meaning in Christ. I believe the apostle Paul took time to do this as well. In Galatians he shares that he needed to make sure he was on the right track by checking with the leaders in Jerusalem regarding his work in the Kingdom: "I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain." (Galatians 2:2) Paul understood that we all need check points along the way. He also understood that Kingdom living is not a practice in futility like the hamster running in his wheel. In I Corinthians 9:24&25 he admonishes: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

Taking the time to evaluate, prioritize and just "cut the fat" allows me to catch the vision that the writer of Hebrews describes: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3) Amen.