The Balancing Act (Nehemiah, Genesis, Luke)

Each of us carrying the burdens and blessings of our daily lives. In our hands, we hold responsibilities—work, family, community, and faith. In our hearts, we carry dreams, worries, aspirations, and sometimes, a sense of overwhelming fatigue. We live in a world that demands our time, taxes our energy, and tempts us to chase after everything, often leaving us feeling stretched thin and worn out.

Yet, amidst this whirlwind of activity, have you ever stopped to wonder, "Is this the life God intended for me? Is there a better way to navigate the complexities of modern life while still honoring God and nurturing the relationships that matter most?"

Today, we look together through God’s Word to uncover His blueprint for balance—a divine design that allows us not only to survive but to thrive in every area of our lives. For in the teachings of Jesus and the wisdom of the Scriptures, we find the keys to a life well-lived—a life that is balanced, fulfilling, and aligned with God’s wonderful plan for each of us.

Work as Worship: Serving God in Our Daily Tasks

As we begin, let us consider how we engage in our daily work. Life should not just be about rest. We were created to do work. Work provides us with a sense of worth and value. Work is essential for us to please God.

In our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the purpose of our work, especially when tasks become routine or seem disconnected from our deeper values. How often do we find ourselves working merely to get by, losing sight of any higher purpose? This disconnect forms our second pain point—the lack of fulfillment and purpose in our daily labors. Often, we view work as a mere means to an end—a way to make a living or fulfill obligations. Yet, the Scriptures elevate our view of work, transforming it from mundane to meaningful, from obligatory to worshipful.

Colossians 3:23-24 exhorts us, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." This passage invites us to view every task, no matter how small or routine, as an opportunity to serve and honor God. When we embrace this perspective, our work becomes an act of worship, transforming our everyday activities into offerings to God.

Illustration of Nehemiah

To vividly illustrate this, let us revisit the story of Nehemiah, a man called not by desire for personal gain but by a burden for the restoration of Jerusalem's walls. Nehemiah’s commitment shines brightly as a testament to working as worship. When Nehemiah heard of the desolation in Jerusalem, his heart was stirred not merely to rebuild a city's physical defenses but to restore a people's spiritual dignity and devotion.

As cupbearer to the king, Nehemiah held a position of comfort and safety, yet he chose to step into uncertainty and opposition because he saw the greater mission God had laid before him. When granted permission by King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah faced ridicule and threats from surrounding nations. He could have given up or complained about how much easier he had it as a cup bearer for the king. Yet, his response was not one of fear or compromise but of steadfast faith and proclamation. In Nehemiah 2:17-18, he rallies the people to start working by telling them how God has been with him and provided for him. Then, in Nehemiah 4:14, as the enemy was standing ready to stop them, he pushes them onwards by saying, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’" And again in 4:20, “In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!"

Nehemiah's work on the wall was never just about bricks and mortar; it was about rallying a community to recognize their identity and strength in God. It was worship through action. Each stone laid was a step towards communal restoration, and every challenge met with prayer was a declaration of his dependence on God. Sometimes the enemies were outside the city and sometimes they were inside. His own people betrayed and failed him.

Brothers and sisters, consider Nehemiah’s unwavering focus. Even when enemies plotted to harm him personally, he prayed, "Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands." His devotion to God's will did not waver under threat or deceit. Instead, Nehemiah’s commitment to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, amid significant opposition, teaches us about the nature of godly work. His labor was filled with prayer, covered with community care, and marked by an unshakable resolve to fulfill God's command.

As we reflect on Nehemiah's example, let us ask ourselves: Are we incorporating worship into our daily work? Do we approach our tasks—be they at home, in the office, or in our community—with the same heart of service and devotion to God’s will? Nehemiah's story urges us to see our work as a direct service to the Almighty, an offering of our everyday lives that is pleasing and acceptable to our Creator.

Let this perspective shift your approach to daily tasks, transforming them into acts of worship that build not just earthly projects but eternal treasures. Let your work be an expression of your faith, your love for God, and your commitment to His kingdom. And remember, in every endeavor, great or small, our God will fight for us, just as He did for Nehemiah.

How do we Integrate Worship into Work

To transform our work into worship, start by setting intentions each day. Before beginning your workday, take a moment to dedicate your tasks to God, asking Him to use your efforts for His glory. I have a weekly checklist that I create on Monday and look at every day. Dedicating that list to God can be as simple as a short prayer: "Lord, let my work today be pleasing to You." Engaging in work as worship brings several immediate benefits:

• Increased satisfaction and motivation: When you see your work as an offering to God, even mundane tasks gain purpose and importance.
• Enhanced ethical conduct and integrity: Working for God’s glory encourages us to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity.
• Stronger witness to others: By consistently demonstrating commitment and excellence in your work, you become a witness to the grace and power of God in your life.

Call to Action

Reflect on your current approach to work. Are there aspects of your job where you can more consciously serve God? Identify one change you can make this week to deepen the worshipful aspect of your work. Delete that app that distracts you.

Brothers and sisters, as we embrace work as worship, let us remember that God is present in every aspect of our lives. He does not call us to segment our spirituality away from our professional lives but to integrate our faith into every action. Let’s commit to transforming our workplaces into spaces of worship, where every effort and interaction honors the God we serve. Let this change in perspective enrich our lives, making our daily labor a true act of worship that glorifies God and blesses those around us.

Rest and Reflection: The Foundation of Balance

Brothers and sisters, let us begin by confronting a common challenge in our lives—the overwhelming sense of being constantly busy, perpetually tired, and spiritually drained. In a world that glorifies busyness, where being overloaded is often worn as a badge of honor, God offers us a radical, countercultural solution: divine rest.

Understanding the Need for Rest

Think for a moment about your own life. How often do you feel caught in a cycle of endless tasks and responsibilities? It’s easy to feel like you're on a treadmill, running faster and faster yet getting nowhere. Aren’t you tired? Endless doing without true achieving or replenishing is an awful existence.

Biblical Solution: Sabbath Rest

God, in His perfect wisdom, instituted the Sabbath for the benefit of his people, not as a restriction. God demonstrated the rhythm of work and rest. For six days, He crafted the cosmos, the earth, its creatures, and mankind. Yet, He deemed it fit to rest on the seventh day. This wasn’t because of weariness, as our Almighty is never weary, but to set a precedent for us, His creation. It is written in Exodus 20:8-11, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God."

This commandment, reminds us that rest is not optional; it is essential. It is a gift and a command. It’s about more than just physical relaxation—this is about spiritual renewal and reflection. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells us, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Here, Christ emphasizes that the Sabbath is not merely a legalistic requirement but a provision for man’s benefit—a time designed to restore us wholly, body and soul.

But what does this mean for us today? It's not about legalistically observing a particular day; rather, it’s about integrating periods of rest into our lives as a spiritual practice. As we reflect on the importance of rest, both as modeled in the Old Testament and as reiterated by Christ, it's crucial to recognize our current context under the New Covenant. We are not bound by the same Sabbath commands that governed the Israelites, nor are we instructed to observe a specific day of rest as a legalistic obligation. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, affirms this, stating in Romans 14:5, "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."

The New Testament indicates that we have a freedom to rest from our spiritual labors for justification. We do not have to wrestle with our salvation anymore. We have an assurance that our spiritual labor is bearing eternal fruit.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that God only provides spiritual rest. Paul tells us in Philippians 4, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Physical rest is seen in our freedom from worry and anxiety. We do not live for more stuff. We do not live for an overabundance. We trust God to provide. Don’t let the world diminish the inherent value of physical rest; rather, underscore the principle of rest as a spiritual discipline that transcends legalistic observance. Rest, in its truest biblical sense, is an act of faith—an acknowledgment that God is sovereign over our time and our productivity. It declares our trust in God's ability to provide, even when we pause from our labors.

Therefore, let us approach the principle of rest as a beneficial practice, wisely integrating it into our lives. By setting aside regular times for rest, we resist the relentless pace set by the world. We demonstrate our faith that God manages our affairs, that He blesses and multiplies our time, and that our well-being is in His hands. This act of resting becomes a testimony of our trust in Him and a vital practice for maintaining our spiritual, mental, and physical health. This rest is about renewal, reflection, and reconnection with God, which in turn empowers us to face our weekly challenges with renewed strength and perspective. By resting, we acknowledge that we are not the masters of our fate. We recognize that it is God who sustains us, not the work of our hands alone.

Our Challenge

Consider how the world’s relentless push towards production and consumption can lead to a diminished spirit, strained relationships, and a life skewed towards temporal achievements rather than eternal rewards. But God calls us back to balance. He invites us to partake in His rest, to find our rhythm in the cadence He set at the dawn of creation.

Let us then reclaim this gift of the rest. Let it be a daily and weekly practice not only of stopping labor but of indulgence in the divine. A time where we focus not on our to-do lists, but on our relationships—with God and with each other. A time where we allow our souls to catch up with our bodies, where we breathe deeply of the Spirit, and where we prepare ourselves for the week ahead, not with dread, but with renewed strength and hope.

As we conclude this second point, I encourage each of you to evaluate how you can incorporate rest into your routine. Let it not be a burden, but a joyful embrace of God’s provision for renewal. In this way, resting not only becomes a personal benefit but also a profound declaration of faith, showing the world that we operate not merely on human strength but under the sustaining grace of God.

Prioritizing What Truly Matters: God, Relationships, and Eternal Values

In our final point, we confront perhaps the most challenging aspect of living a balanced life: discerning and prioritizing what truly matters. In a world teeming with distractions and demands, it's too easy to lose sight of the eternal values that should guide our lives. The story of Mary and Martha offers us a profound insight into how easily our priorities can become misaligned.

Identifying the Challenge of Misplaced Priorities

Many of us, like Martha, find ourselves consumed with the logistics of life—so much so that we might miss the "one thing" that is truly necessary. Whether it's the pursuit of career advancement, the allure of material possessions, or even the endless scroll of social media, our attention is often captured by the urgent rather than the important. This misalignment creates a pain point in our spiritual and relational health, leaving us feeling unfulfilled and disconnected.

This isn't just about managing our time; it's about evaluating what we value most. In the Gospel of Luke, in chapter 10, we find this story that brings this principle to life. Martha busied herself with all the preparations that had to be made, while Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus, absorbing His teaching. Frustrated, Martha approached Jesus, asking Him to rebuke Mary for not helping. But Jesus responded, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42).

This encounter between Jesus, Martha, and Mary illustrates a profound truth about priorities. Martha wasn't wrong to prepare the house or serve her guests; these tasks were good and necessary. However, in her busyness, she overlooked the one thing that was truly essential—spending time with the Lord. Her priorities were misaligned. Mary, on the other hand, recognized the unique opportunity before her. The presence of Jesus was not an everyday occurrence. She chose to prioritize her relationship with Him over the immediate demands of hospitality.

From this narrative, we learn that not everything that demands our attention is deserving of it. Like Martha, we can become so absorbed in the details of our tasks and responsibilities that we miss what is truly important. This doesn’t mean that duties and daily tasks are unimportant, but it does challenge us to consider whether our activities reflect our deepest values. In other words, “It’s not about how to get more things done; it's about how to get the right things done.” (Essentialism by Greg Mckeown) Are we prioritizing our time with God or are we letting the world prioritize our time doing something that doesn’t matter? Are we investing in relationships that nourish our souls and build up the Kingdom of God or are we investing in pointless activities without purpose or meaning?

Application

Let's take this moment to practically apply what we've learned from Mary and Martha's story. Consider your own life: What are the 'many things' that you are anxious and troubled about? List them in your mind. Now, consider what 'one thing' is necessary—like Mary, what should you be prioritizing that you currently aren’t?

For some of us, this might mean re-evaluating our commitments at work, perhaps we are spending too many hours on tasks that have little eternal value or impact on our personal growth. For others, it might mean setting aside more time for prayer, Bible study, or simply being present with family and friends.

Remember, it's not about abandoning our responsibilities but about ensuring that our activities are balanced with and even flow from our primary focus on God and His kingdom. Sometimes, this will require tough decisions. It may mean saying no to good things to say yes to the best things. This alignment is not just about avoiding burnout; it’s about living a life that is rich in what matters most to God.

This passage calls us to evaluate our own priorities and to ensure that our relationship with God and our relationships with others are not being neglected in the hustle of life. To realign our priorities, we must start by identifying what is truly essential:

• Daily Devotion: Begin each day with time in Scripture and prayer, setting the tone and focus for the day ahead.
• Intentional Relationships: Make deliberate efforts to foster meaningful connections, scheduling regular time with family and friends.
• Eternal Perspective: Regularly reflect on how your daily activities align with God's eternal purposes, adjusting as needed to ensure that your actions reflect your values.

⠀The Immediate Benefits of Proper Prioritization

Prioritizing what truly matters brings several significant benefits:

• Deeper Spiritual Fulfillment: By placing God at the center of our lives, we find greater peace and purpose.
• Stronger Relationships: Prioritizing time with loved ones enriches our lives and strengthens our support networks.
• Clearer Purpose and Direction: With a focus on eternal values, we navigate life's decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

Call to Action

Consider what might be your "Martha distractions" that keep you from choosing the "Mary moments." Identify one area where you can adjust your priorities this week to foster deeper spiritual and relational connections. For me, this has meant becoming more efficient in my sermon writing and creation so that I can spend the time needed with my family and friends. I spent a whole year improving my efficiency in that. My tendency is to fill that time with more business, but I must instead value the relationships I’m developing. Our mission is people, remember?

As we seek to prioritize what truly matters, let us remember that our choices not only affect our own lives but also serve as a witness to the world around us. By living lives centered on God, relationships, and eternal values, we offer a compelling testimony of what it means to live according to the kingdom of God.

In conclusion, let us strive to be a people who not only hear God's word but actively live it out by prioritizing what truly matters. Let this commitment to God, to our loved ones, and to eternal values define our lives, transforming us into beacons of hope and light in a world that desperately needs to see the truth of Christ lived out.

Conclusion: A Life Aligned for God’s Glory

As we draw our time together to a close, let us reflect on the biblical principles we've discussed, which guide us in achieving a balanced life that honors God. We saw in Nehemiah's story that our work should be an act of worship—undertaken with a spirit of service and dedication to God's purposes. Then we saw the foundational truth of rest, recognizing that rest is not merely a suggestion but a divine command designed for our well-being and spiritual renewal. And through Mary and Martha, we learned the importance of prioritizing our relationship with Christ over the busyness of life.

The Scriptures offer us many more insights for living a life that truly glorifies God, but we will have to tackle those at another time.

Call to Action

Now, I challenge each of you to take a moment this week to reflect on your own life. Examine your current practices of work, rest, and prioritization. Are there adjustments you can make to align more closely with the principles we've discussed? Perhaps it's setting aside more time for rest, dedicating your workdays to God with a renewed sense of purpose, or reevaluating your priorities to ensure that God and your relationships are at the center.

Commitment to Change

Let us commit together, as a community of faith, to make these adjustments. Encourage one another, hold each other accountable, and share the changes you are making. By doing so, we can strengthen our collective witness and support each other in our efforts to live lives that reflect God's glory.