Keep Christ in the Equation

 Written by Sherri Bergmann

A new school year has begun.

For students, vacation days transition from laid-back, aimless hours to getting up ultra-early in the morning and whisking through the school routine of scheduled hours.

For parents, it’s pandemonium and panic in the mornings to prod their children to get ready and to school on time, as well as themselves to be at work on time.

After school and work, activities are added – karate lessons, band practice, gymnastics, swim lessons, theatre rehearsals, sports practices and games, and so forth. Some parents have two or more children to juggle. Some students have two or more activities they want to participate in.

The evenings wind down at home but are no less hectic as parents help their children with their homework while doing the laundry and trying to stay on top of the needs of the home. Extra trips are made to shop for groceries, school items and family needs. Parents and students plan their next day before they tune out, and some lose sleep hoping they didn’t forget anything, or what they might face the next day.

In our Summer Psalm series, Psalm 90:12 tells us to “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

We often lose sight that our days are numbered, especially when life gets busy. Why is that so important? Because what is often forgotten is God. We forget to nurture our relationship with him. When we suffocate that relationship, everything else in life can start to unravel. While we shut him out with our busyness, we become more absorbed in what is in front of us in this world and can grow further away from him.

Remembering to number our days helps us to stay wise because:

1. We don’t know when our time is up.
2. When we keep Christ in the equation, the less problems we’ll have because we’ll make more wise choices that are good for us and others.
3. When we do have self-inflicted problems and repent, or problems caused by others, keeping him in the equation helps us to get through them better.
4. Because our life is limited, Jesus said He came so we can have life, and have it abundantly through Him (John 10:10). The weight of that is realized that when we turn from him to make unwise choices. It can cause us to lose our family, friends,  job, and everything that matters to us, and take us from living abundantly to decaying physically, emotionally and spiritually. Numbering our days helps to remind us of what kind of life we want to live. 
5. Counting our days helps us to make each day count.
6. When we’re wise to consciously strive to keep Christ in the equation with our hectic schedules, we’ll develop a very special relationship that not only blesses us, but others as well.
7. Numbering our days reminds us why we’re here, and why He’s here. He chose for us to be here, to have a relationship with us, and for us to love Him and others. In essence, for us and others to experience Heaven on earth as meant to be.  

Everywhere, there are busy people working to make things happen.
Here are some ideas of how to keep close to God when life gets busy:

For parents:

• Greet Him in the morning when you open your eyes.
• Start the day with the family together in prayer before everyone heads out.
• Pray when alone– in the shower, when driving, in the grocery line, when doing housework, before your child plays in a game, during the game, after the game. Include Him in all activities. 
• Pray with your child before they go to sleep.
• End the day with him before you sleep.
• Read the Bible, even if you only have a few minutes. Download The Bible App to read (or listen) to His Word on the go. You could even listen to it with your kids on the way to school.
  
  "Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
  
  

For students:

• Pray while you’re on your way to class. Invite Him to be with you through it, to get through it, to understand the topic, to help you where you need it, and pray for ideas. Pray while you’re sitting in class. He knows your thoughts. 
• Know a classmate who has problems? Is someone a bully? A cheater? A liar? A drug user? Pray for them. Pray specifically. 
• Does someone need a friend? Be one. The impact you can make in their life can make a difference, and last a lifetime. 
• You can find favorite verses on magnets. Stick them on the refrigerator or inside a locker to remind you of the importance of the message. Or mount a dry erase board in your room and write a different verse each day or week to help memorize it.
• Read the Bible, even if you only have a few minutes. Download The Bible App to read (or listen) to His Word on the go. There are several reading plans you can pick from!
  
  "Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart." Proverbs 7:1-3.
  
  Remember His words so they will come to you at the right moment.

Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you (James 4:8). How close to God can you get during your limited time? Number your days. Keep Christ in the equation.