Margin: Restoring Your Reserves

In 1995, Richard Swenson wrote a book called Margin: Restoring Emotional Physical Financial and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives.  A printed page has a column of blank space along each side of every page.  We need some blank space in our lives; margin is the space that we need between ourselves and our limits. Do you allow yourself some free time everyday?  

We have a tendency to fill up every part of our schedules.  Our days and nights are full of work, meals, conversations, phone calls, texts, emails, news, interruptions, appointments, etc.  So there’s a tendency to fill up the blank spaces in our lives.  The problem with this is that when a crisis comes up, it pushes us beyond our limits, and then we suffer from stress overload.  It’s like being pushed off the edge of your limits, or off the edge of your page. That’s what leads to heart attacks, divorces, broken relationships, high blood pressure, angry outbursts, etc. 

If your life is filled to the edges of your schedule, and you find yourself exhausted at the end of every day, you are probably trying to do too much.  You need to develop margins in your life – some black space or free time between you and your limits.  What can you eliminate from your schedule?  What can you say no to?  Does that team or committee really need you?  How can you say no to the next new project that comes up?  Do you really need to work overtime regularly?  How can you free up some time to relax and unwind?  

The principle of margin is similar to the Biblical Sabbath principle.  The Sabbath was the day of rest on the 7^th day of creation, and the reason why God commanded the Israelites to rest on the 7^th day of the week.  The idea is that we need one day of rest and worship per week, to be renewed and rest our bodies and minds from the daily grind.  The idea for margin is the same – that we need times for rest and renewal, to recover from the stress of daily life.

If you are stressed out or worn out, plan to take a day off for rest and worship and renewal.  Plan to find time in your life, to leave blank, like the margin on the edge of the page.  Do this, and you will be blessed.

Pray for Our Governmental Leaders

Forty years ago, I was a budding teenager who followed political news for the first time.   In the summer of ’72, the media was revealing the connections between President Nixon’s men and a break-in at the Watergate Hotel in D.C.  There were secret grand juries, tape recordings with erased silent spaces, and accusations of lies & cover-up, & a possible impeachment of the president.  It was an unfolding drama that drew my interest.  At least one TV network played the hearings & testimony instead of its usual daytime shows.  Eventually, Pres. Nixon resigned before he could be impeached. 

The Watergate scandal along with the Vietnam War controversy left a weakened national government & presidency that many could no longer trust.  Thus, I was part of a generation that grew up when government leaders could not be trusted.  Almost every U.S. President since then has been investigated for something or other.

Decades later, when 9-11 happened in 2001, the period of patriotism & flag-waving was a new experience for my generation.  Hearing the democrats & republicans sing “God Bless America” together on the steps of the U.S. Capital was previously unthinkable.  The united support for our national leaders after 9-11 was unprecedented in my lifetime.  Like many, we flew the U.S. flag in front of our house for years. 

Now we are in the midst of another election campaign season.  What can we do?  First, the Bible tells us to pray for our governmental leaders.  Having served as a pastor for 20+ years, I know the hurt of people speaking against you, slandering your name with gossip instead of praying for the leader.  Every leader in our society has had to deal with that, which is why many good people don’t want to run for office or step forward to lead.  Pray for our leaders, that they would stand for what is right & against wrong.  Pray that God’s wisdom would guide their decisions.  Pray for those who advise them to give wise counsel.

What should we do when our leaders go astray?  After prayer, let us offer sincere, loving, helpful counsel, and let us pray for those who do this with fallen leaders.  Most leaders are aware of their weaknesses & deal daily with their human sinfulness.  I wrestle with bad decisions I’ve made or words that have hurt or offended others. 

When King David had a man killed because of an immoral affair, God sent Nathan to show him his sin & encourage his confession.  Nathan prayed for David & offered wise counsel that lead to restoration.  Can we do the same for our fallen leaders today?  Can we aim for restoration instead of character assassination? 

Another way to support our leaders is to remember our own sins.  Romans 3 says we have all sinned & fallen short of God’s glory.  In today’s world, there is little, if any grace for leaders.  When did we become a people who look for a leader’s sin & use it against him?  This lack of grace is part of what has destroyed some good leaders.

What can we do to turn things around?  Pray for our leaders.  Offer them wise counsel.  Lighten their burdens by offering to carry part of their load.  Treat them as we want to be treated.

I don’t know if the USA will ever return to being a Christian country.  But you & I are still called to pray for & support our leaders.  Our children’s future depends on this.  God is faithful & gracious.  Let us pray for our leaders.