Something struck me as our life group were meeting the other day. We were talking bout the life of Abraham and how he has to wait so many years before the promised son, Isaac comes. He lives 100 years, waiting, trusting making mistakes, learning, growing in his faith, preparing before his prayer is answered.
This event, which he had to wait 100 years for was what his whole life was about. This is what struck me. Our culture has things the other way around. We think that our dreams and ambitions are what we have to get done in our twenties. If you haven’t made it into senior management at work by the time you are in your mid-thirties, it’s considered too late. We think that once we get to forty-plus then we should be starting to enjoy all the benefits of our achievements with the children packed off to uni or in work, we can begin to relax, have a bit of “me time”, enjoy the comforts of life, take long holidays. Then eventually we retire and put our feet up. Our priorities are what we get done first.
What if our priorities are what we are meant to leave to last, to build up to? What if we are not meant to settle back into comfort and then retire? What if how we finish this life here is more important than how we begin? What if the most important, best days are still ahead. This was certainly true for Abraham.
How will this affect your approach to life? My wife used to have a T-Shirt which said “Destined for greatness but pacing myself.” What does it look like to pace yourself in your twenties and early thirties? Are there things you can slow down on. Are you geared up for a sprint or a marathon?
How does this affect our approach as churches? Are we equipping and supporting the church for the long haul? How does it affect how we value and prioritise ministries? How does it affect how we value and listen to different people in the church?
Faithroots 