You're Gonna Miss This

Many of you would find it hard to believe that I like country music (I do too, trust me.....and an old girlfriend's jaw would drop). In any event, Trace Adkins has a song that I would like us to look at a few verses of.

She was staring out that window, of that SUV
Complaining, saying I can't wait to turn 18
She said I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said I was just like you

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These Are Some Good Times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
He tells her It's a nice place
She says It'll do for now
Starts talking about babies and buying a house
Daddy shakes his head and says Baby, just slow down.

I am writing to me and the guys like me. I understand that the Bible tells us to consider the ant o sluggard. But, the guys I am speaking to -- including me -- don't have that problem. Our problem is that the ant looks at us and gets tired.....

Well, the Bible has something to say about that to us as well. In Luke 10:38-42, the following takes place:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!""Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

Now, I get the primary point of this passage is relating to the fact that Jesus is what is better. But, there is a principle at work here: We can miss the important because of the urgent. The urgent may be work, a deal, church work, vacation (yes that can be), sporting event, even fishing (that's hard for me to admit). But, the point is that we need to have margin and have freedom to rest and freedom to "Baby, just slow down." Or, we're gonna miss this. You read the rest of the chorus. What I am not saying is that we should neglect responsibilities. Heck, Paul says, if you don't work you don't eat. But, the guys I am talking to don't have that problem. Would you rather have $1,000,000 in the bank or a child that follows God and with whom you have a relationship? Would you rather seal that deal or have your daughter sit in your lap and say, "you're the best?" I'll stop cuz we all know the answer. And, if you think something different ask Madoff if you can talk with him.

Let me say this. The "responsibilities" we have that make us not stop in certain areas are self-imposed many times: $5,000 house payment, $1,500 boat payment, etc. My job to make so much wouldn't be necessary if I didn't "live" so much. Of course, Paul tells us to "take hold of the life that is really life." (I Tim 6:19). So, am I really living "life"?

Here's the really simple (yet hard) question: Are we distracted by all the preparations that had [have] to be made? Are we distracted by the urgent? Have we put "responsibilities" on us that are not real? You figure it out; I aint gonna miss the important because Trace is right when he says one day "you're gonna miss this."