Let’s reflect again on our daily schedule. Specifically, let’s ask ourselves a question, How much of what we do each day will have eternal ramifications? In Ecclesiastes, Solomon reflects on life and starts by commenting that life is meaningless (1:2). He goes on to say that if this life is all there is, then what is the point of all our toil (3:9)? We might as well eat, drink and be merry (3:12-13) since our lives mean little in the grand scheme of things.
Fortunately, within this pessimistic view of life, Solomon also reminds us that God has set eternity in the human heart (3:11). In other words, what we do can and does matter. We can have a positive impact when we create our daily schedule with an eternal perspective in mind.
C.T. Studd (1860-1931), an English missionary, wrote a poem that reflects this eternal perspective. It sums up his reason for leaving the life of luxury and fame he enjoyed in England to share the love of Jesus in China, India and finally Africa. The opening stanza reads:1
Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ‘twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last. — C.T. Studd
We must keep this eternal perspective in mind as we reflect on our daily schedules. How much of what we do each day will have eternal ramifications? Let’s examine some ways that we can make sure our daily schedule has God at the center and eternity in mind.
Morning Devotions: Starting the Day with God
In the early 1980s the advertisers of Folgers coffee created a slogan that reads, “the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.”2 If you are my age, you can probably even sing the tune. While the coffee is nice, as Christians, we know the best part of waking up is spending some quality time with the Lord through prayer and Bible reading. This allows us to “set our minds on things above,” (Colossians 3:2) and to develop a deepening relationship with our Creator.
No matter what amazing tasks we have on our schedule that day, it will not have an eternal impact unless we have set our minds right. Our morning time with the Lord also reminds us that priority one is maintaining a deep relationship with God. We cannot bear spiritual fruit if we are not attached to the vine (John 15:4-5).
Pray Without Ceasing
As you go through your day, constantly have an attitude of prayer. In other words, embrace each task, each meeting and each relationship with another popular slogan, What would Jesus do? No, you do not have to wear the WWJD bracelet, but you should have an internal WWJD bracelet wrapped around your heart. Prayerfully approach each part of your day as an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with others and to be salt and light to the world around you.
Work as Worship
As Christians we should view our daily work as an act of worship. Colossians 3:23-24 reminds us that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." This perspective transforms my daily tasks, whether at my job, home, or in the community, into opportunities to glorify God. We should strive to do our best, not for personal gain or recognition, but as an expression of gratitude and obedience to Jesus.
Daily Acts of Kindness and Service
We are called to be imitators of Jesus who demonstrated love and compassion to others. Therefore, in your daily schedule find ways to prioritize acts of kindness and service to others.
When you lay your head down on your pillow at night, count your acts of kindness instead of counting sheep. Helping others, displaying empathy, practicing forgiveness and demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) to those around you are all tasks that can have an eternal impact.
Building Spiritual Community
Within your daily schedule, it is also ideal to have a time of fellowship. We are commanded to have fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:25) as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). This should be a daily occurrence and not just a weekly one. This does not mean we are trotting off to church every day. Still, it does mean we are engaging with other Christians routinely and we have a group of believers who hold us accountable. Make sure you purposely schedule this.
Evening Reflection of Gratitude and Examination
As the day ends, take a few moments to examine how the day went. Spend a brief quiet time expressing gratitude for the opportunities you had and examine ways you could reflect Jesus even better the next day. Remind yourself that a successful daily schedule is one that impacts eternity.
Our daily schedule is not merely a series of tasks, meetings and deadlines, but a journey of faith and obedience. Constantly remind yourself that God is present in every moment, guiding, comforting and empowering you to have an eternal impact.
My prayer is that we will not come to the end of our lives feeling like a hamster who went round and round and round on a pointless wheel, but instead we will have a daily God-centered schedule. And when the end of our days does come, we can hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” (Matthew 25:21, NIV).
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