I've been thinking more today about my priorities list - thanks for your thoughtful comments on the earlier post.
We all have priorities. Whether we work from a list or not, each day we make decisions about what to do when. It's a part of life. How we make these decisions is based on how we view the world and our place in it. Another way to look at it is to ask what is the purpose of my life? What do I want to achieve, and why do I think I'm here? Our answers to these questions shape our decisions about our priorities.
For me, as a Christian, the goal of my life is to bring glory to God. How do I do this? Not by following a list of boring rules, but by following Jesus, the amazing son of God. He's my Lord, so my aim is to follow his path.
The bible tells me how to live the way Jesus wants. The priorities list from the earlier post is based on what's in the bible, and I'm trying to wisely apply it to my life. I'm using it as a tool to help me with my goal.
So what does this look like in practice? Well, I don't get up each morning and tick the items off one by one! I try to plan my days so that the things that are higher up the list get more attention, whilst still making time for those lower on the list. For example, I try to read the bible and pray first thing in the morning, so my first thoughts are for God. I aim to get a meal on the table so Adam and I can spend quality time together each day over dinner, prioritising my husband over the tv! I do housework when Hamish is asleep, so I can spend time with him when he's awake. I'm also aiming to spend at least an hour or two during the day relaxing on my own, so I have a chance to recharge and pursue my own interests. To be able to manage all this, I need to spend plenty of time at home and make sure my schedule isn't too hectic, so a bit of planning is involved. If I don't plan, I end up exhausted and grumpy!
There's a lot of room to move within the list of priorities - I make decisions all the time about what would be best. The key thing for me is that I try to make these decisions based on what God wants for my life, rather than by making it up as I go along according to what suits me at the time.
This verse sort of sums it up for me: "Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."Luke 9:22-24
So how about you - what is your goal in life? And what are your priorities?
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8 comments:
I like to think of finding Christ and living his way is to find him within yourself.
I guess I now have a more abstract view of God than I used to. When I was a kid He was very much a He and an entity that you sought to accept as your God and abide by.
Now I tend to see God as more of a way of life and force which is inside you and assists you through life.
And my number one priority is to live in a way that I am proud of and comfortable with - which more or less equates to living my life in such a way that sits well with the 'force' or Christ within me.
So what do you base the force on - ie.e. how do you judge whether you're living in tune with it or not?
And out of interest, what made you change your mind from how you saw God as a kid?
I guess it's a general right from wrong thing that I gauge my actions on and you can learn morals and ideals from Christianity and the bible.
I think as I've become a little older I've found it hard to take the bible and what it says literally. I tend to think of it more as illustrations of life lessons and thinking of God as a body that is true to all those illustrations' messages is a bit easier to get my head around.
Then again, I did once believe that Jesus was a giant lamb :p
lol like that big sheep statue at Yass or wherever it is :)~
What do you think of Jesus now? I mean, he was a real person who claimed to be the way to God, which seems to be a bit more concrete than an illustration of how we should live, if that makes sense.
I guess I'm not really sure. You could think of Jesus as the embodiment of God, which was sent to bring God alive in people.
I think we should all eat cake
I second that motion.
I have been doing some thinking on this matter though Al - is good to discuss!
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