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by Ebony Thomas
 

This was a question I asked recently. At exactly 5:47 a.m., my phone rang. It was the coordinator of our apartment complex's intercessory prayer group.

"Ebony! Waking you up for prayer!"

"Mm-hmm," I replied, thinking, if I could only get five more minutes of sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was 8:18 a.m. "Oh, no!" I said, jumping up, realizing that I'd overslept and missed prayer--again. My horror was intensified by the fact that I had to be in my History of the English Language class less than an hour later. Our weekend assignment was to translate a long Old English passage (which is more like German than anything else) into modern-day speech. The fact that I had forgotten all about it until that moment didn't help matters one bit.

Only one thing to do: skip class and place the assignment in my professor's mailbox.

My only other Monday class was Advanced Grammar, which wasn't until 12:20 p.m. So I studied a little, wrote a little, and ate a little chocolate chip cookie dough. Then I was completely absorbed by a talk show. By the time I looked back up at the clock, class had started and I was still in my pajamas.

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University has a compulsory attendance policy, which basically means we don't have the option of not going to class. And even if we could skip at leisure, I wouldn't. I could just hear my mother and grandmother calling me "lazy" and my pastor preaching about the spirit of sloth. I stood up from my desk chair, feeling convicted.

"This is awful." I looked around my room. Nothing was in place. Nothing was in order. My surroundings were in serious need of some good old-fashioned "spit shine."

So was my life.

As a young Christian, I'm learning that sometimes my energy and enthusiasm can fill my plate to overflowing. There's so much to do and so little time to do it in! Without a second thought, I'll take on a full courseload, become president or an officer of three campus organizations, commit to two prayer groups, join multiple ministries at church and in my Baptist Student Ministries fellowship (no InterVarsity here right now), be on 24-hour call for friends who are in need of a listening ear and prayer, and so on. Every time the BSM has a function, as a council member I'm obligated to go. Every time my church has a service, as a faithful member, I feel I should be there. If there is a potentially interesting and fun event happening on campus or elsewhere, I want to be there. And why shouldn't I hang out once in a while?

Last week I began to realize how tired I was when my eyes started to blur during class and services. My supply of clean clothes was beginning to dwindle. It was becoming harder and harder to find things in my room. The bathroom was refusing to take another "spot" cleaning, and I'd forgotten to purchase toilet paper. I hadn't cooked a single meal at home all month.

I've had to reconsider why I even bother to thank God for Mondays in the first place. The founder of TGIM! Online's Monday newsletter wrote, "Friday is my favorite day of the week, [but then] it dawned on me that while I was thanking God for Friday's promise of rest, I should also thank God for Monday's promise of work. After being equipped from [the weekend], I should be all "fired up" for the Lord to use me Monday and every day after that!"

There is a reason why God admonished the children of Israel to "remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" (Exodus 20:8). Jesus was a worker during his earthly ministry, but knew the value of solitude and refreshment.

God himself is a worker, and he is unfailing. He never sleeps, He never slumbers. Have you ever wondered why it is that "on the seventh day he rested" (Genesis 2:2)? I think God was setting a precedent for us. Sometimes we can pride ourselves in how busy we are. I've been guilty of that, I know. "Oh, I'm never home," I'll tell a listener. "I always have so much to do."

Have I become so busy, Lord, that I don't have time to honor you by keeping a neat, orderly home? Am I too pressed for time to honor your temple, my body, by fixing a nourishing meal and giving you thanks for it? Is any ministry more important, Lord, than my setting aside daily quiet time so that I can hear from you?

God likes for us to be busy--if we're busy about the right things! But he's not honored by harried, hurried and rushed people. We have a million modern conveniences and no time for our families. If we honor God's requirement of having time to be with him, recuperating from a full week's worth of activities, and resting our weary minds, bodies, and spirits, we will find ourselves better able to fulfill God's mandate of work when Monday comes.

Once in a while, follow this acronym: DEAR. Drop Everything And Relax. Take time out for worship. Try it. Believe me, after spending time in God's presence, drinking from his water of life, you'll feel refreshed enough to go through ten busy Mondays in a row!

On Monday and every day, Lord,
Make sure all aspects of our lives
Are ordered in your will.