Skubalon

I'm sitting here at work. I thank God all the time that my job is easy enough that I can do other things during work hours. It's a blessing and a curse. I can handle the responsibility, but I'm not thought to be able to handle it. Anyways, none of that is the point.

I find I fill my time pretty easily. I have work, school (15 credit hours in grad school, not as easy as I though it would be), church, church, oh and did I mention church? I'm so busy, but have been thinking lately about what that means. Yes, the Bible does say the idle hands are, well let's just say it's bad... But what is all this business getting me?

On average, I spend 14 hours a week in a classroom.
I spend at least 40 hours a week doing homework
I spend 20 hours a week at work
I spend 10 hours a week at church (most of that time in some sort of a ministry)
I try to spend at least 56 hours a week sleeping (which is usually a little less)

I try to spend time with friends, and with my sister! I try and try & I have a light schedule compared to other people I know!

Well, here's the kicker...what does all this trying amount to? School suffers, work suffers, church and ministry suffer, my sister suffers, my relationship with God suffers...

The Apostle Paul considered it all "skubalon"... CRAP, FESES... literally, the Greek word for poop... Paul considered everything, his pedigree, is status, his works, his sins, everything CRAP for the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ.

So here is my question... What am I getting out of being busy. I think it would have been easier 100 years ago. No electricity to keep you up till 2am working...but that is so not the point. I make myself busy. I, and a lot of others like me, choose busy. Choosing busy is so much easier than choosing life! If we choose life than we have to deal with our skubalon. If we choose bust that we let the skubalon cover our wounds instead of taking care of them. Now this is a gross picture. You have a wound that, instead of caring for, you cover with crap. You stop the bleeding by by packing the wound with feces...eww!! Yeah that's going to let them heal? No absolutely not, ask any mom and what will she tell you to do when you have a cut. Go was it with soap and water to clean the wound, apply antibiotic ointment, cover it with a bandage and repeat until it is better. You see protect it, treat it with care. LET IT HEAL!

Everyday, all around us we have people that are trying to cover their wounds with skubalon. What does God tell us to do...allow Him to cover our wounds, allow Him to heal us. If we can just do this, what does our business turn into??? Fruit. That's it. An undeniable fact. We will bear fruit.

So God, here is my prayer, it's not very eloquent, its not very spiritual, it just is... Help us to see the places in our lives that we are simply busy. Help us to see the places, those deep wounds we would rather not look at. Help us to stop covering them up with crap and help us to let you in... God, You are so merciful to help me deal with my stuff. I am so unworthy to even let you come and bandage my wounds, let alone heal them. God, You love us so much, that just like a mother with her children, You desire all of Your children to be healthy, happy, and most of all whole in You. We Thank You for everything You have done in our lives. Help us to consider it all skubalon for the surpassing greatness of knowing You!...