The Urgency of Doing

I love to take pictures of my daughter, and the fun things we do together…whether simple everyday activities or milestone events like Disneyland trips and birthday parties.  For now, most of those pictures reside, untouched, in our online album.  But, I would love to see these pictures in a beautiful scrapbook that chronicles her childhood as a treasured keepsake.  So, in an effort to spark my creativity, and learn new techniques, I like to read different scrapbooking magazines.  And, while I certainly cannot afford every tool or embellishment out there, I do enjoy attempting some of the ideas and techniques when I find the time, and the space, to scrap…which, admittedly, is not quite as often as I would like. 

 

But, there are women who have entire rooms meticulously organized and specifically dedicated to their craft.  Some monopolize the kitchen table when it is not otherwise occupied.  Many get up early and/or stay up late, to complete a few pages each day.  And, in addition to this daily dedication, some even take entire weekends away with friends in order to focus on, and complete their albums.  Without a doubt, these women have beautiful works of art to show for their efforts!

 

I, on the other hand, have a 4-year-old.  And, I am still working on “scrapping” her first few weeks of life!!  It is becoming increasingly, and painfully clear that my occasional bursts of creativity are getting me nowhere, fast.  Simply wanting these beautiful albums is not getting them done.  And, while I enjoy the articles and tips, simply gleaning knowledge about the latest methods and tools is not going to get me any closer to my goal, unless I utilize them.  Sadly, as my lack of albums will attest, scrapbooking is just not something that ranks very high on my list of priorities.  Because, if I truly enjoyed the process, or valued the end result, then not only I would make the time to do it, I would have the pages and albums to prove it.

 

Sometimes, it seems that we treat our spiritual life in much the same manner.  It is often nothing more than a hobby that we get around to when we find the time.  Oh, sure, we want to know God’s Word.  We want to grow spiritually.  So, we occasionally read the Bible, when the mood strikes.  We read books on Christian living, or on what the Bible says about a particular topic, hoping for inspiration, and that proverbial push to get us on our way.  But, we are not really willing to put forth the effort, or make the necessary sacrifices of time, discipline, or convenience.  And, while we often have the necessary tools at our disposal, we do not utilize them.  And, all we really have to “show” for it, is a desire for something better than our current anemic spiritual state that is so far from the vibrant, thriving walk that we imagined….

 

Don’t get me wrong, wanting to grow spiritually is good.  It is essential.  If you are a child of God, then, by all means, you should want to grow!  But, that cannot be where it ends.  Good intentions will only get you (and me) so far.  They are only the beginning.

 

I think this quote, which is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, says it well:

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”

 

So why don’t we?

 

Maybe it is because we have not been impressed by the “urgency of doing” when it comes to spending time with the Lord in prayer, and in His Word.  Most people have experienced, and understand the concept of the “tyranny of the urgent,” in which so many little tasks clamor for immediate attention, and the things that “can wait” usually do…indefinitely.  There are lots of excuses, I’ve used many myself.  But, I think that the most common, and, in my opinion, over-used excuse is, “I don’t have time.”

 

Really?

 

Elisabeth Elliot says,

“‘I don’t have time’ is probably a lie more often than not, covering ‘I don’t want to.’ We have time – twenty-four hours in a day, seven days in a week.  All of us have the same portion.” (Discipline: The Glad Surrender, pg. 97)

 

Believe it or not, I do understand the demands of balancing marriage, motherhood, housekeeping, homeschooling, and ministry.  And, I don’t do it perfectly.  Being a pastor’s wife does not make you immune to excuses, apathy, or laziness.  I understand that “life” happens.  Kids (or mommies, or daddies) get sick.  Cars break down.  Potty accidents happen.  Toilets overflow.  Hard as you or I might try (and, believe me, I do try!), some things just cannot be planned!  Yes, I only have one child, so I’m sure the demands on my time are different than those who have more children – not necessarily more, not necessarily less – just different.  And, my daughter is older, so I am no longer in the throes of sleep deprivation, all too familiar to mommies of newborns.  Even so, each stage of childhood (or mommyhood) comes with its own unique demands and pressures.

 

But, I also understand that those very pressures and demands are exactly what make our time in the Word each day all the more urgent.  How can we, as moms, expect to diligently teach our children how to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and might, if His Words are not on our hearts? (Deut. 6:5-7)  Look at the example of Eunice and Lois, and the sincere faith that they passed on to Timothy. (2 Tim. 1:5)  What kind of spiritual legacy are we leaving for our children? 

 

Regardless of how limited the time may seem, we all have the same amount of time allotted to us.  And, we all make choices about how we use that time.

 

Can we honestly say that we do not have any time – in 24 hours – to spend reading and/or studying God’s Word?  Funny, when we seem to easily find time for the latest episode of Dancing with the Stars, for creating a few scrapbook pages, for working out, or catching up with our favorite blogs (or insert your favorite TV programs/hobbies/activities here).  Or, maybe, if we were really being honest, is it that we just want those other things more?

 

Because, bottom line?  We do have the time.  The question is, what are you doing with it? 

 

What tasks or activities are so important, so urgent, and so attractive, as to be allotted a coveted portion of your time each day (or night)?   Where does getting to know your Savior, through His revealed Word, fall on that list?  Do you see the urgency in it?  Or, does it even make it on the radar?