Setting Priorities

The new Greek government will be working with others, so we are told, setting priorities for this new chapter in their nation's life. Their aim will be to restore pride and self-respect for their people, without making matters worse. I guess we all wish them well.

Setting priorities is a challenge we all face, every day. 

Some tasks have to be done, but we are often confronted by the battle between the urgent and the important. Good leaders and planners manage to work out how to have a 'to do' list, which helps them to keep on course to deliver on their top priorities.

I am encouraged to see that faithful people, in both Old and New Testament, have learned about setting priorities, and sticking to them.

I have much to learn from these good people!

The Psalmist, facing struggles and difficulties, is very clear about his priorities. 

'The one thing I ask of the Lord—
    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.' (Psalm 27.4)

Elsewhere in the Psalm, we see that this person is not looking to run away from the realities of life, but to have a focused centre, so that he can handle all the pressing concerns much better. Without that relentless determination to keep our focus on the Lord, we will easily find ourselves swept off course.

St. Paul, towards the end of his life, reflects on how he has kept on the right course.'I don’t mean to say that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.' (Philippians 3.12-14)

Paul knows that Jesus has called him onwards and upwards, and he knows, too, that he could easily get distracted, by looking backwards. So he is determined to keep looking forwards, because his priority is to reach the end of the race. 

At the start of this new week, with many tasks lying ahead for us all, we also need to learn to set our priorities, and then stick to them!

Best wishes,

Richard