The Daily Detour

Carving out margin in life

Anyone who has heard me speak more than once has probably heard me describe one of the ways I've come recognize God's voice. There is so much 'noise' in life that hearing His still small voice is difficult at best. Instead, for me, there is the repeated emphasis on a particular idea in a relatively short period of time. Lately, the message has been about "margin". It's an ongoing conversation that began just prior to Catalyst.

Down at Catalyst I had a lunchtime conversation with my good friends, Tim and D.J., and the subject of creating "margin" in life came up. I told them that "the only time I find margin is when I sit in the bathroom long enough that my legs fall asleep." They laughed heartily until I told them it was true. (Ask Jean :).

Since we got back from Catalyst, the subject of "margin" has come up repeatedly in a variety of contexts and conversations. At some point, God has been trying to get my attention.

And He had to use extreme measures--as in the series of events that have converged in our lives over the last couple of weeks--to grab me by the collar. As I just shared with an audience last week, if God has to use something like a near-fatal car accident to wake you up, then something is wrong. Because if that's what it takes, then it means I'm not listening for His promptings the way I should be on a daily basis.

I'm still processing what the pursuit of "margin" looks like for me, and our family. And as I get more clarity, I'll bring some thoughts to you all. For the time being, I'm begun to recognize the non-stop pace that has come to define my existence to this point. I need a lot more tortoise in my life and much less hare. My life idles in 3rd gear, and it has begun to wear down my engine. But more than that, it has forced me to reevaluate every area of my life. Because it is a pace that is ultimately unsustainable.

Perhaps you find yourself in a similar life situation. I would encourage, even urge, you to carve out some space and step back to reevaluate your own pace of life. It may seem difficult to find the time to do that, but I guarantee, you and your family will be better off for it.

UPDATE: I just ran across this article by Mark Batterson of National Community Church in Washington D.C. which talks about this issue of "margin".

Great quote re. pursuing God's best intentions for us

I was meeting with a good friend of mine early this morning at Starbucks. And we were talking about yesterday's post regarding the increasingly urgent need to engage and the importance of not getting so comfortable with our suburban lives that we fail to step out and pursue God's will for us. As he put it,

"God didn't design us to just sit and watch 'Seinfeld' reruns.  ...not that there's anything wrong with that."

Classic! :) And a great reminder that there is so much more that God wants to show us and do through us. My last 13 months of unemployment have reminded me of that. As I've often reminded audiences, God doesn't need us to do anything, otherwise He wouldn't be God. But He does allow us the privilege of joining in what He wants to do in the world. The key is whether or not we're willing to share in that process. What does God want to do in and through you?

Screwtape's warning to all of us

If you've ever read any of C.S. Lewis' works, you are presumably familiar with his classic, The Screwtape Letters. The book consists of a series of letters by the devilish mentor, Screwtape, to his young protege, Wormwood, attempting to teach him the art of temptation. His admonitions to Wormwood serve as a warning to us to maintain our own vigilance where temptations are concerned. Screwtape writes,

...do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you are separate the man from the Enemy [God]. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

Rarely is temptation so obvious and imposing as to identify itself as such. That is why the apostle Peter tells Christians to be alert, because "your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 4:8). Likewise, Paul warns that Satan himself "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).

The question is, what are you doing to avoid the pull of temptation down that "gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts"?

Revisiting the wisdom of our Founding Fathers

I stumbled on to Monica Crowley's website and found this famous quote. It is a timely warning from Thomas Jefferson, and his prophecy is alarmingly relevant for us today. In a letter to Thomas Cooper, November 29, 1802, he wrote,

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

I would echo Ms. Crowley's sentiment: Are we paying attention? The speed with which our government is nationalizing our structural institutions in this country should give us considerable pause (and serious concern). We the people are the heart of the solution if we are willing to act for the benefit of our own welfare and that of our progeny. Otherwise, I fear that our apathy will be our demise.

"D'Oh! I wish I hadn't said that!"

I just put up the latest post on the Appalachian Trail blog that I write for regarding insensitivity--especially insensitivity where we men are concerned. I posed the question about how we can become less like Homer Simpson and more like Jesus in this area? Your words directed toward others are much more powerful than you may realize. How are you stewarding them?

Thought for the Day: Is God enough?

Just wanted to pass along a quick thought for the day which is prompted from this morning's sermon by Dr. John Caldwell at Kingsway Christian Church. The theme of the message was becoming "rich toward God" in how we approach our finances and wealth. (NOTE: He encouraged us to go to globalrichlist.com to find out just how rich we all are in comparison to the rest of the world. It makes it difficult to lament our situation when it's thrust into that global perspective. A sobering reminder of how much we take for granted.) Regarding our financial situation (particularly in these current economic times), he concluded with these questions:

Do we really believe God is good? Do we really believe that God is sufficient?

I found myself moved by these two probing questions, because of our own current job(less) situation. As a former pastor, I can't even remember how many times I've challenged people to trust God for all things, to believe that God is sovereign, and that God is good. But I've come to discover over these past 8 months that there is a significant difference between rhetoric and reality. This refining process, though painful, is proving to be a necessary benefit. Do I really believe it myself--that God is good and that He is sufficient?

Do you?