Categories of Stewardship - Our Time
Our Time: There
is a plethora of books and courses on the subject of time management.
They have helped millions of people make better use of their time. Many
Christians would do well to read some of these books or attend a good
seminar. But there are aspects to a Christian use of time that one will
learn only by reading the Bible and, in particular, by studying the life
of Jesus.
What do we learn from the Gospels about Jesus’ use of His time? What are some of the elements to be noted, apart from His busy schedule of preaching and healing? Let’s look at a few examples:
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matt. 4:23)
“As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.” (Mark 1:29)
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” (Mark 6:31)
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.” (Luke 4:16)
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.” (John 2:1)
“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.” (John 12:2)
In today’s stressful world, the example of Jesus is as refreshing as it is worth imitating. Jesus worked hard and was fully committed to His mission. But He made sure that He did not miss the blessings of the Sabbath (and He sometimes worked at church, too.) The Gospels make it abundantly clear that He had time for His Father, for His friends, for relaxation, and for a good meal. He also took time off , and encouraged His disciples to do the same.
The most startling evidence of Jesus’ stewardship of Himself and His time, though is not to be found directly in the Bible, but in the studies of those who have attempted to make a chronology of Jesus’ ministry. He took sabbaticals! Out of that brief, three-and-half-year time!
If you take the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, and compare the commentary on page 198, the map on page 221, and the timeline on p. 231, you will find a “retirement from public ministry” that may have lasted all the way from His third Passover to that fall, His last celebration of the fall Feasts (and even then, He traveled secretly; see John 7:2-13.) This is not to say that Jesus spent the whole time relaxing on a beach. There were still miracles, mostly among Gentiles. People always found out when Jesus was near, and always made demands on Him, and He usually (not always, Mark 1:37-39) couldn’t resist fulfilling their desires, especially when they came to Him in faith, like the Syrophoenician woman.
Since we know that Jesus spent a large part of His time in direct communication with His Father through prayer, we may be assured that His breaks occurred at times when God thought He needed them. This type of time management (or rather, time stewardship) will prove a blessing for all who practice it.
The Bible does not praise workaholics, nor does it have any commendations for those who always take it easy. As always, there is a balance, one in which we get done the things we need to get done, while at the same time we don’t burn ourselves out emotionally or physically. God has the first claim on our time. We manifest this in our keeping of the Sabbath and our daily time for prayer and worship. Our loved ones also are entitled to a fair share of our time. Then there is time for work, for leisure, and for a host of other things. The church also claims a substantial part of our time. But there must always be a balance so that we don’t fall into one trap or another.
What do we learn from the Gospels about Jesus’ use of His time? What are some of the elements to be noted, apart from His busy schedule of preaching and healing? Let’s look at a few examples:
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matt. 4:23)
“As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.” (Mark 1:29)
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” (Mark 6:31)
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.” (Luke 4:16)
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.” (John 2:1)
“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.” (John 12:2)
In today’s stressful world, the example of Jesus is as refreshing as it is worth imitating. Jesus worked hard and was fully committed to His mission. But He made sure that He did not miss the blessings of the Sabbath (and He sometimes worked at church, too.) The Gospels make it abundantly clear that He had time for His Father, for His friends, for relaxation, and for a good meal. He also took time off , and encouraged His disciples to do the same.
The most startling evidence of Jesus’ stewardship of Himself and His time, though is not to be found directly in the Bible, but in the studies of those who have attempted to make a chronology of Jesus’ ministry. He took sabbaticals! Out of that brief, three-and-half-year time!
If you take the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, and compare the commentary on page 198, the map on page 221, and the timeline on p. 231, you will find a “retirement from public ministry” that may have lasted all the way from His third Passover to that fall, His last celebration of the fall Feasts (and even then, He traveled secretly; see John 7:2-13.) This is not to say that Jesus spent the whole time relaxing on a beach. There were still miracles, mostly among Gentiles. People always found out when Jesus was near, and always made demands on Him, and He usually (not always, Mark 1:37-39) couldn’t resist fulfilling their desires, especially when they came to Him in faith, like the Syrophoenician woman.
Since we know that Jesus spent a large part of His time in direct communication with His Father through prayer, we may be assured that His breaks occurred at times when God thought He needed them. This type of time management (or rather, time stewardship) will prove a blessing for all who practice it.
The Bible does not praise workaholics, nor does it have any commendations for those who always take it easy. As always, there is a balance, one in which we get done the things we need to get done, while at the same time we don’t burn ourselves out emotionally or physically. God has the first claim on our time. We manifest this in our keeping of the Sabbath and our daily time for prayer and worship. Our loved ones also are entitled to a fair share of our time. Then there is time for work, for leisure, and for a host of other things. The church also claims a substantial part of our time. But there must always be a balance so that we don’t fall into one trap or another.
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