The “To do List”

I LOVE lists. I love them so much I make one every time I go to the store . . . even if I only need two things. What I like most about them, I think, is checking things off and feeling a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes I even add things I have already done to the list so that I can check them off as well. The look of a list that has most things checked off – what could be better?

The ability to be productive, to finish the day knowing I have achieved what I set out to do, these are the things I love. I enjoy a clean house, an empty laundry hamper, clean dishes, toys in their place, paperwork filed, a full tank of gas, a checkbook balanced. The list could go on forever. Is there a downside to such things? Surely God would have me take care of my family and all of the other things He gave me – it’s called stewardship, right?

This is what I tell myself anyway on the days when I skip my quiet time with Jesus to get a head start on the list or the days I don’t take time to pray because it might slow me down and then my objective would not be met. MY objective. That is when God stops me because my focus has been more on the things of the world than on the things of eternity.

I was reminded again this week of 2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” My list? Well, it has little to do with the things of eternity. I do believe that God wants us to be a good steward of all He has given us. But when the things of this world become my focus instead of the things of eternity, I really miss the mark.

My goal for the week is to change my list. Don’t get me wrong, I still plan to make sure there is gas in the car and food in our house, but the objective is far different. I plan to use those things to serve Him and to add some other things to my list as well. Maybe this week I can teach a Bible story to my kids every day, maybe I can stay a little later at Bible study to help clean up, maybe I can fix dinner for a sick friend, or maybe I can just make Jesus my priority for the week and let Him make the list for me. Original thought, I know.

My list for the week:

      1. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2)

      2. Go back to #1