Okay, I am finally ready to admit that I am operating on the brink, in the red zone, well above the sustainable recommended RPM’s. More and more gets added to my plate, and though I have sufficient energy, I know that I can only merit a “B rating” on achievement. Much gets produced, while some
My life is saturated: I have to ask the questions, “Do you merit the real estate of my inbox?” Or, “The space on my desk?”
Add to that the demands of regular mail. Packages. People. Cars. Family. Projects. Work. And they all add up to being saturated.
Saturate: “to treat, furnish, or charge with something to the point where no more can be absorbed, dissolved, or retained; to load to capacity; from the Latin saturmeaning well fed.” When I think of saturated, I think of a sponge held under a faucet, or immersed into a bucket of water until it can accommodate no more – water then just runs over it.
As a more comedic illustration…let’s take Lucy and Ethyl working at the chocolate factory. At risk of losing their jobs if they do not succeed, their mandate is to wrap candies progressing on a conveyor belt before arriving at the packing room. The scene evolves with the chocolates coming ever faster. Try as they may the women cannot process all of the candies. They stuff them into their mouths, their dresses, and their hats in a futile effort keep the chocolates from entering the next room unwrapped. But they cannot, the task is more than humanly possible; they are over-saturated.
Saturated. Okay, so it’s not exactly a theological word, per se, but it does identify a theological malady.
In Luke 8:7, “Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.” And later, in Luke 8:14 “The seedwhich fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on
As opposed to being consumed by the strangles of life, Paul encourages Timothy to “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).
Near the end of his first letter to his protégé, Paul focuses on that which is most important – to take hold of eternal life. The exhortation is that Timothy would seize, or grab hold of the eternal life which is already his. The picture encouraged is one of embracing eternal life with both hands. Paul is calling Timothy back to his divine calling and reminder of his confession of faith – eternal life!
In John 17:3, Jesus defines this life: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”—It seems clear the exhortation is to grasp fully onto to the life you have received in Christ!
Unlike a child, who attempts to hold something in one hand and pursue “something else” with the other, this exhortation is to grab on with both hands – Two-fisted – not taking it for granted. Paul uses the word Agonizomai, which means “Fight!”… not because it might slip away, or be stolen away, but in order to relentlessly pursue the true value of such a gift.
As Christians we were called (summoned by God), and have confessed Christ as Savior in our lives. And still, our lives are filled to the brim. Saturated! We are sponges, yet we absorb only so much. Hopefully, we don’t fall for the myth that things will slow down someday. In the midst of an ever-demanding world it is good to take inventory.
What is vying for your time, and for your soul? Emails? Life? Things? Knowledge? Chocolates?
So, what will we do? With a sponge which is waterlogged? With a saturated Life?
Here are three options I can see:
Option #1: We could leave it alone, thinking it’ll take care of itself… someday…Let me know how that one works out for ya!
Option #2: Get a bigger sponge. This one is a little more proactive, though just as ineffective in providing any long-term solution; even a bigger sponge will fill back up quickly under the constant flow of life.
Option #3: Wring it out. Squeezing out a few of the thorns seems the likely solution in order to guard what is important, to secure space for the priceless gift.
Life comes at you fast. It seems like Kindergarten was only yesterday, then college, and suddenly we’re looking at 60, 70, or 80. We are going to need to be intentional.
Are we taking hold of our eternal life with both hands? Do we spend time pursuing Christ? Or, is it getting choked out in the Red Zone?
Don’t forget that which is most precious to you as it was to Timothy – Christ!
“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him behonor and eternal dominion! Amen” (1 Timothy 6:16).
May we honor Him, and may He have eternal dominion over our lives from this day on, for evermore!
Savor eternal life now!
