12-16-2024

Good Morning All,

     Ecclesiastes 3:1; “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (KJV)

    We all have ways in which we try to relax or wind down.  One of the things I like to do is to cook.  Some stuff I am pretty good at and some stuff I am not.  Yet with the advent of the internet and the Food Network, I am pretty much game for about anything.  One thing that I do when I cook is that I use almost every measuring device which we own: every cup and every quarter cup every tablespoon and teaspoon and most of the bowls as well.  Sometimes I don’t sequence my measuring very well.  I will use the tablespoon for a liquid measure before all of the dry measures are done.  I do the same with the half cup measurer as well. 

    It would be easy to wash the half cup or the tablespoon but that would slow down the process.  So, I will use the half tablespoon for the tablespoon measure.  If you do it just right, you can almost get a whole tablespoon on the half tablespoon measurer.  You have to dig deep and be careful not to twist or bump the sides, but you can do it.  Now you may ask, “Why don’t you just use the half tablespoon twice?”  Well, I am too busy.  I have places to go and people to see.  I only have so much time for this relaxing stuff.

    You may think that is a little crazy but if you look closely at your life there is a good possibility that somewhere in your life it is the same.  We try to fit a tablespoon in a half tablespoon because of the other commitments that we make.  Our schedules, our children’s schedules, our lives in general seem to be full beyond capacity.  We try to fit it all in and usually don’t.  About the time I get that over full half tablespoon out of the box but not yet in the bowl; I’ll spill it.  In doing this, I waste more time than I would of if I had done it twice.  We do the same in our lives.  We take on more than we can handle and end up doing many things poorly rather than a few things well.

    God gives us the time, the skills, the capacity to do for him what he wants of us when he wants it.  To every thing there is a season and there is a time for every purpose.  There is a time and a place to do as God will have us to do.  Trying to do it all; only results in doing it all poorly.  We need to look carefully at our “to do” list and see where we place time for our relationships.  Where do we place our family, our friends, or our time with God?

    Remember what is truly important in our lives.  It is never things; it is always our relationships.  Our relationship with God, our family and our neighbors should never be pushed aside because of other stuff.  We should never try to fill more into our measurer than will fit.  Take time during your walk in this life to enjoy what God has given you.  Experience his grace and mercy to their fullest measure by keeping your measure in proper balance.  

Dear Father in heaven, too often we try to do it all and we end up with nothing.  Forgive us when we miss your gifts and wound the relationships which you give to us.  Lead us back to you; draw us close to you so that we may see the truth of your love and the depth of your grace.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret