“For Dads -Timing Is Everything”
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. (Eph. 5:15-16)
In his book, Anchor Man, Steve Farrar says one reason men are failing as husbands and fathers is that we don’t devote the time to our wives and children. He says too many men try to be NASCAR men in their relationships. He writes, “The most amazing thing about a NASCAR race is not the race itself, it’s the pit stops. When the driver pulls into the pit, seven men jump over the restraining wall in complete unison. At the rear of the car, the gas-can man inserts the nozzle of an 80-pound gas can into the gas tank. The catch-can man holds it in place while the gas-can man grabs a second can. At the exact same time, the jack man raises the right side of the car so that the rear and front tire changers can get the lug nuts off. As soon as they get the lug nuts off, the tire carriers hand them the new tires, which they quickly put on. The jack man then races to the right side of the car, where the tires are changed by the same synchronized process. He then drops the car off the jack, thus signaling the driver to get out of the pit. These guys fill a 22- gallon gas tank and change four tires in 18 seconds. That is nothing short of amazing.”
Sometimes guys think they can be husbands and fathers the same way. They become NASCAR husbands and fathers. On Monday morning they start their engines and go roaring off on the fast track to work. Most days the race is so intense and competitive they don’t even make it home for dinner. Sometime after 7 or 8 that night they come roaring into the pits. They peck their wife on the cheek, gulp down supper, take a quick look at their daughter’s report card, pat their son on the head, and say goodnight as the kids are going off to bed. And the average NASCAR man does it all in 37 seconds, the average time American fathers spend with their children each day. Then this NASCAR man jumps into bed, mumbles g’night to his wife, catches some shut-eye, and gets up real early to get back into the race before the kids ever get out of bed. That’s the NASCAR man and that’s the reason so many men are running under the yellow caution flag when it comes to their families! Steve Farrar, Anchor Man, p. 95
Timing is everything! Today in our society there is more time saving devices than any other time in the history of mankind. Yet we still don't seem to have enough time. We're always a dollar short and a day late. We just can't seem to get it all done. The sad reality of our culture is that you can race as fast as you can through each day trying to be first in a number of areas in your life but still come in last in the areas that really count. What’s the solution? Scripture reminds to “be careful how we live and make the most of every opportunity.”
Pay Close Attention to Every Moment of Each Day. I’ve heard people say, “I’m trying to buy some more time.” Really? Do you know anyone that can buy time? The truth is you can spend time. You can loose time. You can kill time. You can watch time fly. But no one can buy it. People say, “Time is money.” Not really. Time is much more valuable than money. When Louis IV, King of France, lay on his deathbed, he said, “I will give half my kingdom for one more hour to live!” But he didn’t have enough money. You can’t buy time, but you can choose to invest it wisely. Each week everybody gets the same ration – 168 hours. The wise person is very careful how he invests his allotment. Be careful – pay attention - to every moment.
Make Time For Jesus Everyday. Instead of being driven by the constant pressure of your daily life choose to set the priorities by which you want to live. The number one priority of your daily life ought to be to spend quality time with Jesus Christ. Why? Because “the days are evil.” There is a never ending bombardment of evil which you will encounter each and every day. There is no better way to equip yourself to face the evil of this world, than spending time alone with Jesus. You say, “Well I can’t find the time for a daily devotion.” That’s not really true. The problem is we often give the time we have for Jesus to some other lesser priority.
Jesus deserves the first and best part of our day. He will always have time to spend with you. The question is will we make time for Him?
Spend Time On Things That Really Matter. How do I find time for the things that are really the most important in life? The verse above reminds us to “understand what the Lord’s will is.” In other words, give careful thought to what God says has the highest priority. Career advancement, recreational pursuits and just plain old “lounging around” are not necessarily bad pursuits by themselves. Most times, these things are good for us. But “good” can often become the enemy of “best.” Check to see if your time management needs a tune up. NASCAR pit crew members carefully consider every movement they make to make sure they get the most out of every second. They film pit stops and evaluate every movement and make needed adjustments to insure a victory for the team. The Lord has given us the Bible as a revelation of His will. Use the Word of God to measure the moments of your life. Compare the priorities God has revealed in the Bible against your present priorities and make any adjustments that are necessary. Make sure that you are spending your time on things that have eternal value and not temporal.
It’s true; timing is everything. For all the dads - I hope the time you have with your families this Fathers Day is blessed. My advice is to slow down and enjoy it.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
In his book, Anchor Man, Steve Farrar says one reason men are failing as husbands and fathers is that we don’t devote the time to our wives and children. He says too many men try to be NASCAR men in their relationships. He writes, “The most amazing thing about a NASCAR race is not the race itself, it’s the pit stops. When the driver pulls into the pit, seven men jump over the restraining wall in complete unison. At the rear of the car, the gas-can man inserts the nozzle of an 80-pound gas can into the gas tank. The catch-can man holds it in place while the gas-can man grabs a second can. At the exact same time, the jack man raises the right side of the car so that the rear and front tire changers can get the lug nuts off. As soon as they get the lug nuts off, the tire carriers hand them the new tires, which they quickly put on. The jack man then races to the right side of the car, where the tires are changed by the same synchronized process. He then drops the car off the jack, thus signaling the driver to get out of the pit. These guys fill a 22- gallon gas tank and change four tires in 18 seconds. That is nothing short of amazing.”
Sometimes guys think they can be husbands and fathers the same way. They become NASCAR husbands and fathers. On Monday morning they start their engines and go roaring off on the fast track to work. Most days the race is so intense and competitive they don’t even make it home for dinner. Sometime after 7 or 8 that night they come roaring into the pits. They peck their wife on the cheek, gulp down supper, take a quick look at their daughter’s report card, pat their son on the head, and say goodnight as the kids are going off to bed. And the average NASCAR man does it all in 37 seconds, the average time American fathers spend with their children each day. Then this NASCAR man jumps into bed, mumbles g’night to his wife, catches some shut-eye, and gets up real early to get back into the race before the kids ever get out of bed. That’s the NASCAR man and that’s the reason so many men are running under the yellow caution flag when it comes to their families! Steve Farrar, Anchor Man, p. 95
Timing is everything! Today in our society there is more time saving devices than any other time in the history of mankind. Yet we still don't seem to have enough time. We're always a dollar short and a day late. We just can't seem to get it all done. The sad reality of our culture is that you can race as fast as you can through each day trying to be first in a number of areas in your life but still come in last in the areas that really count. What’s the solution? Scripture reminds to “be careful how we live and make the most of every opportunity.”
Pay Close Attention to Every Moment of Each Day. I’ve heard people say, “I’m trying to buy some more time.” Really? Do you know anyone that can buy time? The truth is you can spend time. You can loose time. You can kill time. You can watch time fly. But no one can buy it. People say, “Time is money.” Not really. Time is much more valuable than money. When Louis IV, King of France, lay on his deathbed, he said, “I will give half my kingdom for one more hour to live!” But he didn’t have enough money. You can’t buy time, but you can choose to invest it wisely. Each week everybody gets the same ration – 168 hours. The wise person is very careful how he invests his allotment. Be careful – pay attention - to every moment.
Make Time For Jesus Everyday. Instead of being driven by the constant pressure of your daily life choose to set the priorities by which you want to live. The number one priority of your daily life ought to be to spend quality time with Jesus Christ. Why? Because “the days are evil.” There is a never ending bombardment of evil which you will encounter each and every day. There is no better way to equip yourself to face the evil of this world, than spending time alone with Jesus. You say, “Well I can’t find the time for a daily devotion.” That’s not really true. The problem is we often give the time we have for Jesus to some other lesser priority.
Jesus deserves the first and best part of our day. He will always have time to spend with you. The question is will we make time for Him?
Spend Time On Things That Really Matter. How do I find time for the things that are really the most important in life? The verse above reminds us to “understand what the Lord’s will is.” In other words, give careful thought to what God says has the highest priority. Career advancement, recreational pursuits and just plain old “lounging around” are not necessarily bad pursuits by themselves. Most times, these things are good for us. But “good” can often become the enemy of “best.” Check to see if your time management needs a tune up. NASCAR pit crew members carefully consider every movement they make to make sure they get the most out of every second. They film pit stops and evaluate every movement and make needed adjustments to insure a victory for the team. The Lord has given us the Bible as a revelation of His will. Use the Word of God to measure the moments of your life. Compare the priorities God has revealed in the Bible against your present priorities and make any adjustments that are necessary. Make sure that you are spending your time on things that have eternal value and not temporal.
It’s true; timing is everything. For all the dads - I hope the time you have with your families this Fathers Day is blessed. My advice is to slow down and enjoy it.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 11:54 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home