Tell me about the rhythms in your life; because, if you get stuck in one rhythm, then you're boring. You're boring!
If you get thrown into a tizzy with one interruption, you often miss God's best. We get so focused on our list (our things to do), that one little interruption causes us to be stressed out.
So we call, we say: how are you going? Oh, I'm stressed out. Why? Well, I had my day going, and then such and so interrupted me, and then… Yeah, but what did God show you in that? Oh, I don't know, I'm just so stressed out.
You know, some of the best miracles of God, came in an interruption? The tassels - remember the lady with the issue of blood? Was she in Jesus' plan that day? No. Where was He going? Jairus' daughter.
The lady with the issue of blood interrupted Him, and actually because of her interruption - the girl died before Jesus got there - and it was still okay. Some of the greatest miracles in Jesus' life came in interruptions.
If an interruption ruins us, we miss the reclamation of a new rhythm, that God is calling us to. But sometimes Sabbath, what it does is: it backs us up, and it reminds us that God is in charge; and if He brings something new into my life, well - blessed be the name of the Lord.
So let me just apply this in some very simple ways:
1) Who are the most important people to you? If you just take a second, and just write out some names, there should be only four or five names - unless you have eight kids. If you have eight kids, please write all their names. I'd hate for one kid to see another's on there, and I didn't make the list! Then they come and see me, and they're stressed because of it. Yeah, they're all worried, yeah.
Who are the most important people to you? Either write it down, or make mental ascent to who they are. Who are the most important people to you? Take time and think about that, the most important people. If you're married - yeah, it should be that person. If you're writing your kid's names down before your husband, you have a problem.
Who are the most important people to you? There's no reason not to be honest, it's just you and God - are they getting your attention first?
What percentage of your energy are they getting? Or are you caught in your list, and the very people who most need your attention - because they're the most important - actually get the least energy. Then everything goes to custard, and we wonder why. It's not that anybody's a bad person, it's just the worries of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth.
2) What is the most important thing to you? Put another way: what are you called to be? Is that getting your attention first?
Have you ever talked to somebody, and you say: what would you like to do? Would you like to snow ski at Queenstown? Oh I'd love to go snow skiing at Queenstown! I just haven't had time in the last three years. It's like: what? I mean they've got money, they're gainfully employed - they could afford to do it - they just can't find the time in three years. Are you kidding? The ‘worries of this life’, and the ‘deceitfulness of wealth’!
Do what is the most important! Let me ask you it this way: if you were to move tomorrow, what would you keep? If you had to box your whole house up tomorrow, what would you keep? What would you sell? What would you give away? What would you throw away? If you were to move tomorrow and do these things, why haven't we done it today? What are we holding on to? The ‘worries of this life’; and the ‘deceitfulness of wealth’.