Coming or Going?

I have a rip-a-day calendar titled "Islands" that has breathtaking photographs of islands all over the whole world. Recently, the photo for one day showed the Fakarava Atoll, a Tahitian island where you can do some excellent snorkling. The picture showed half under the turquoise water while the top half showed the palm-tree covered island above the water. Under the water, were some colorful tropical fish. I looked at the picture and thought these tropical fish were the cutest ever with their golden yellow faces, big black eyes and white and black tail ends. After some googling, I learned this tropical fish is called the Threadfin Butterfly fish. Then I realized upon closer examination that these cute little yellow faces were actually their tail ends. I was looking at the fish backwards. The face was the black and white striped end and the tail was golden yellow with a black dot on it. I chuckled when I realized my error and thought how clever of God to create a fish that just by looking at it you couldn't tell if it was coming or going.

I feel like this fish many days. With a scheduled packed with responsibilies that only seems to get added to, I feel sometimes like I don't know whether I'm coming or going. And I've got no clever creative coloring to fool those looking at me. By all appearances sake, I should be going in just one direction, but, like many folks these days, am tackling lots more than I probably should. My fear is I may start forgetting to do things I'm committed to or the quality of some things I'm doing will be diminished because of my overcommitment.

Our Father has given us 24 hours in each day, 16 of which we are normally awake for (unless you're my teenage son, then it's closer to 12). I do not think God intended for us to fill every moment of those 16 hours with multiple tasks, regardless of our ability to handle so many at once. I think He'd prefer we stick to the tasks He's called us to, gifted us to do, so that we do them well and do them with energy and love.

The other day I was between tasks and wondered aloud what I should do next. I heard the calming voice of my Father asking me to slow down, take a seat and enjoy some time with Him: time in prayer and in Scripture. It was truly the most beautiful, most relaxing and most fulfilling part of my day.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, overcommitted and, well, exhausted, perhaps it's time to say "no" to a few things ... and say yes, to a little quiet time with our Father. And after looking at this rip-a-day picture, I wouldn't mind spending some of that time on Fakarava Atoll. :)