When I look at my life, 3 years doesn’t seem to be a lot of time. 3 years is less than 1,000 days. In the scope of my 65+ years, it is less than 1/20th of my life. I am continually amazed that the entirety of Jesus' earthly ministry was just 3 years. How did he do so much in such a short amount of time? Jesus' actions changed the world, yet he still needed sleep and rest, just like you and I. He also relished the relaxed moments of camaraderie with others. How did Jesus squeeze so much ‘life’ into such a short amount of time?

One key element that gives us insight into the fullness of Jesus’ life, is that while Jesus may have been on a world changing mission, he was never in a hurry. Busy, yes. Hurried never. There is a difference between being busy and being in a hurry. We are all busy at times, maybe most of the time. Busy centers on what we do. Hurry is the nature of our mindset as we do what we do. Hurry often ushers in anxiety and dread. 

Jesus always looked for opportunities or breathing space within the busyness of his day. A space, within the busyness of the day where one can allow for God’s presence and glory to seep into our soul and enjoy God, enjoy those we are with and enjoy the present moment. A person in a hurry rarely considers such space. In Luke 10, Jesus was visiting with Martha and Mary. While Martha prepared a meal, Mary visited with Jesus, to which Jesus says to the sisters “Mary has chosen what is better.” Mary created space to be present. Martha hurried.

The tasks we take on can create inner turmoil which transforms busy into hurry. Jesus often began the day in prayer. We can too. Jesus was always fully present with those he was with, never in a hurry to move on to the next thing, enjoying the present moment, instead of thinking of what’s next on the to do list. I would imagine that Jesus would approach being stuck in traffic or in a long line at a store as an opportunity to connect with His Father in prayer or marvel at the beauty of creation outside his car window. The lifestyle of Jeus teaches us that these moments of space are small but important elements of life, yet with a hurried mindset, we miss these precious moments and skim through the day instead of living the rich life modeled by Jesus. There is a powerful section within the Bible where Jesus describes his lifestyle and urges us to exchange our hurried lifestyle for his life of peace.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  

-  Matthew 11:28-30

Hurrying through life is burdensome. It’s mentally and physically draining. Isn’t it time to consider the gentle offer from the man who was tasked to save the world, hitched to a different yoke, one that is easy and light? Focus on the gentle rhythms of how Jesus lived his life. He is our Lord and life model.

For Reflection:

Reflect on your rhythms of life and identify where can you eliminate hurry and noise?

Make a concentrated effort to daily fast from the areas you’ve identified which generate hurry, stress or angst. 

The thief has come to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full –-John 10:10

“Life to the full” is the promise of Jesus and I’m quite certain that a full life, one that is not wasted,  is something you and I both desire. Time is a key element to this full life, for time is our most valuable commodity. If I lose a dollar, I can always make two more tomorrow, but when I waste an hour, it is gone. Forever. These powerful words of Jesus are wide reaching. They are also a reminder of what goes into living the full life and we are wise to pay attention to them. Do I succumb to the false and soul killing message of the thief or to Jesus? Living in today’s fast paced, get all you can, while you can culture, it's easy to subscribe to the intense modern day pace and the promises of material rewards it makes. Jesus knows that this type of life is the exact opposite of full and is destructive to our soul.

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" - Mark 8:36

Jesus warns of the unfulfilling trap of wearing one’s busyness and hurry as a badge of honor and moving through the day in a whirlwind, ignoring the people, the goodness, the beauty and the wonder God places within each day. Life is stolen. Souls are deadened.

The poet Gerald Manley Hopkins wrote “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” If we slow down and look for the fingerprints of God in our everyday lives, then the previously mundane is full of wonder. A sunrise isn't simply the start of a new day, it’s a work of beauty and color cast upon the canvas of the sky. The morning cup of coffee becomes an explosion of flavors from a bean God created. A simple phone call to a friend is an act of love. To live a full life we must pay attention. And to pay attention, we must slow down. Paying attention is the first act of worship. If we live life moving at a high rate of speed, there is no possible way that we can see, much less celebrate, these gifts of beauty and wonder God brings to our everyday living. 

Hurry robs us of the ability to pay attention to the reality of God in our world. The author Annie Dillard wrote; “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”  The full life offered by Jesus, a life infused with his presence, can begin today, or we can continue to, spend our days and lives in a hurried existence. How will you choose to spend today, your most precious commodity?

For Reflection:

Pay attention to the beauty and wonder that God places within each day. Make a list then take time to thank God for them.

Who has God placed in your life? What does it look like to embrace them as gifts God has woven into your life?