Time Management

Reading: Luke 24; Psalm 58 13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles out of Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 Suddenly, Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. (Luke 24:13-15 NLT) On Resurrection afternoon, Cleopas and his friend walked seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Jesus joined them and their discouraged conversation in the middle of their journey, walked and talked the rest of the way with them, agreed to stay for supper, and disappeared at the beginning of the meal as he revealed himself when he blessed and broke the bread. They were deep in conversation—grieving and discouraged—so they were probably walking less than three miles an hour. Jesus joined them “in the middle” of their journey and walked the rest of the way—three and a half miles—with them. That would be at least an hour and twenty minutes. Then they went to Cleopas’ home in the village and washed up, built a fire, then heated some leftover stew and sliced some goat cheese—forty minutes? Then they sat down to eat and Jesus said, “Would you like me to say grace?” Then he blessed and broke the bread and disappeared. Two whole hours! I don’t fully understand how God prioritizes the use of time. It was Easter Sunday afternoon. Jesus was out of the grave alive and there was an entire world that needed to know about it. Should he not have been at the Temple in Jerusalem appearing to the post-Passover crowds or scaring the pants off of Pilate or Herod or at least making an appearance on the six o’clock news? Instead, he spent two hours of Resurrection Day afternoon walking and talking with two minor players in the Good News story, helping them to work through their grief and disappointment and find some hope. How does that make sense in terms of efficient time management? One day Jean and I took a discouraged pastor and wife team to lunch and spent two-plus hours simply listening to their stories of twenty years serving a small church in southern Oregon. At one point that afternoon I heard the inaudible but unmistakable voice of God say to me, “There’s no place on earth more important for you to be than right here, right now!” I want to learn to think like Jesus. I want to be where I should be, with those whom I should be with, doing what I should be doing for my two hours. How about you? Prayer:

Father, Please teach me to use my time according to your schedule, your values, and your priorities. I want to be where I should be, with whom I should be with, doing what I should be doing. I want to manage my time by Kingdom of God values with a Holy Spirit-directed calendar. Amen.