Introduction

It gets late. And the candles burn long, usually at more than one end at once. The student knows this season well, yet for every cycle it happens the same: long hours, little sleep, much stress. Friends seem to just disappear, veiled behind the cocoon of the bedroom or study door. Emails, messages, all attempts at contact go unanswered. It's as if they cease to exist for what seems like eternity to those who miss them.

Over-Committed

I often lament myself that I too get over-committed. Sometimes it's as if you have taken too much helping at your favourite cafe or restaurant. While you like the food and the appetite was ok at the beginning - you love what you're doing - it all gets too much too quickly. Things start getting left off; a good effort becomes half-hearted; commitments made in the summer of easy life suddenly become stretched when the autumn and winter of busyness dawns. Life this way loses its shine, its lustre, its vitality. Dreams and ambitions are shelved and marked "low priority" as the purpose and meaning becomes the here and now and there seems to be no end to the weariness and drudgery of constant exertion.

But what makes this happen? Why do the realities of life get routinely suspended for a paper that's forgotten almost as soon as it is submitted? For an exam that is of lost meaning after the results are returned? Some blame the system: "Kids these days are under more demands than ever." So the protest runs, "There's work, and study, and family, and social commitments, and everything else." In an instant and on-demand society there just never seems to be enough time for everyone; never enough time to do everything our increasing ambitions would desire.

The Dilemma

For the Christian, it is an interesting dilemma. When the assignment demands more attention, is it ok to skip our regular church or fellowship meetings to just keep up with the pace? Is it right to spend less time with the Creator of the Universe to pursue that looming deadline? There is no easy, straight-forward answer.

On one hand, there is the fact that God delights in us doing well. He wants us to succeed in the things we set our minds and bodies to. To that end He's given us all gifts, passions, talents and callings to fit us into a niche that's uniquely ours. There are proverbs that speak of the folly of laziness and the virtue of sowing seeds for the uncertain future. I would certainly argue that doing no work, or avoiding and putting off the things we're meant to do, is not a thing God approves of. Certainly, we are called to be an example in giving our best for everything we choose to participate in.

The other side of the coin is that God just loves to spend personal time with us. He created us to be in relationship with Him, and in relationship with others, particularly our brothers and sisters - fellow-believers in Christ. There is no question about it: relationships take time to develop. And the more time you spend with someone, the better you get to know them. In order to grow in God, we have to take the time to pray, to seek His presence, to read the Word, and to enjoy the encouragement, friendship and guidance of other Christians. Even the strongest bond can be broken if we get out of these habits, and how quickly we forget the value of keeping in step with our Maker.

God Made Time

But what about when it gets busy? What if there's not enough time left to spend with God?

As I said above, there is no simple answer to the problem. But the first thing I can say is this: God made Time. He is the author of it, and Lord over it. Psalm 139 talks about how every single day God intended for us to have has already been planned out by Him. God knows how many days we will live for, and what we will do in each of them. In fact, He knew the end of our story before we opened it at the first page. That being so, if we commit our time to God, He can regulate it and bless it. God is more than able to make minutes seem like hours and multiply our efforts. He can arrange everything so that we have just enough time to do it all in.

Wisdom & Knowledge

Second, God is the author of wisdom and knowledge. There is no fact, no meaning, no idea, that God does not understand completely and fully. James 1 tells us to ask God for wisdom in full assurance of faith, without doubt. And proverbs teaches us that the wisdom God gives is more precious than fine gold or silver. He can enable us to comprehend and know great mysteries, both about His Glory, and about our (comparatively meager) human intelligences. Through wisdom, He can show us and prompt us to what to study, or what to write.

Worship

Third, the way we spend our time is worship. No matter what we do, we're worshiping something or someone. Do we dare let the assignments take the place of our loving Father? Do marks become an idol, to feed our pride? No, these are but means to glorify God - for it is Him alone who gives us the ability to succeed in all that we do. If we commit our work to Him and His Glory, will He not honour that sacrifice? If the focus of our work becomes glorying and pleasing God, the emphasis shifts from our own abilities and self-confidence and falls on His strength. Pride in our achievement becomes grateful and humble acknowledgement of God's grace and mercy.

Conclusion

Finally, God is undoubtedly faithful. And He honours faithfulness. He calls us to a place where we can completely trust and put our faith in Him. A God of such faithfulness and love does not let His children fall without good cause. He honours the time and prayers we faithfully commit to him, but He also honours the commitments we strive to uphold: If we say "yes" may it mean "yes", and if we say "no" may it be "no", despite the circumstances of our ever-changing environment. The place of faith is definitely a place of vulnerability. It is most certainly a place where we surrender control of our life absolutely, and at times that amount of trust in God over things that mean so much to us is a scary thing. But it is the one place where God is most able to take and use whatever we bring.

Lord of the Assignment 2

Exams(!!!)