Lutheran Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki, Finland

This has been a crazy, upside-down year. One international trip after the other and in-between the endless meetings. Then, when I try to get my breath back, I am inundated with WhatsApp messages, each demanding their own time. (Maybe it’s time to listen to my son Nico’s wise words – “Dad, the less you send the less you’ll get.”)

As the year passes by, and I reflect on the past months, I wonder why I am so stressed. I then realized that I have lost the margin in my life. (For the Gen Z young people, margin is the open part on the left side of a page where the teacher used to write comments in red – in my case not always very favourable.)

It’s my responsibility to manage my own margin – increased margin results in a more meaningful life and quiet time, and a reduced margin during pressure times should be guarded against. Increasing my margin also allows me to have some extra time to visit a sick friend; spend more time with Anita; see a staff member that needs advice or help; or just some extra time with my family, and our friends – not to forget some “Me Time!” by losing yourself in the pages of a good book. A reduced margin, tending to the cares and worries of the day, gives me less time for people while spending more time on ‘stuff’.

Less time with people usually results in less time with God, or just seeking Him quickly with my mouth and my lips, but my heart is far from Him. (Isaiah 29:13) Os Hillman says ‘that many of us become so consumed with our battles that we are no longer aware of the presence of Jesus. We have (then) been travelling in our own strength.’

In September 1995, I spent a week in Ghana on business. At that time a week in Ghana was seven days too long and I could not wait to catch my flight home. On arriving at the airport, I heard that the flight was delayed for 24 hours, and back to the hotel I went. I was so disappointed and nearly in tears. The next morning in my hotel room I poured out my heart to God bemoaning my lot. Why Lord? I could have been home by now! Why me Lord!?

After my time of prayer and sulking, my devotional reading that morning said “..let there be no hurry in your plans, you do not live in time but in eternity…”

I was bowled over. The Lord delayed a flight for 24 hours to teach me one lesson – Nico, you do not live in time, but in eternity. The moment I realised the enormity of these few words, a peace transcended onto me that I will never forget. Building more MARGIN into my life became very clear… I must persevere and treasure my time (margin) with everything I have, or I will be robbed of it by the cares and the worries and the demands of the day.

I am reminded that if Satan can’t stop me, he will push me and let me always remember the words, we do not live in time, but in eternity. Maybe I should take life a little bit less serious, do less and trust more.

Lord Jesus, please help me to bring back margin into my life, so that I can have quality time with You early in the morning, because You said “I love them that love me; and those that seek Me early (diligently) shall find Me.” (Proverbs 8:17)  Help me to understand what it means that I do not live in time, but in eternity.

Amen.

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Photo above – the Lutheran Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki, Finland. Built directly into solid rock, it is also known as the Church of the Rock. One of the most magnificent churches I have ever been in.
© Nico van der Merwe