When I type a document in Word, the program has a ‘default margin’ of 2.54 cm, meaning that whatever I type starts 2.54 cm from the top of the page, ends 2.54 cm from the bottom and has a margin of that same measurement from the left and right sides of the paper. I can alter the size of the margin if I need to fit more text onto the page (the ‘narrow’ margin’ is 1.27 cm and I can ‘customise’ the margin to whatever size I deem necessary.) Quite often, in order to save paper, I will use narrower margins than the default setting.
I sometimes think that that piece of paper, covered in writing, is a little bit like our lives. On good days, our lives have neat margins with plenty of space. We have things to do, but not so many things that we don’t have ‘room’ for God. There is a sense of order and balance to our lives: worship, work, rest, play. But often, our lives can become cluttered; our to-do lists get longer and longer and the only way we can fit everything in is to reduce the size of the margins. We no longer have as much time to sleep and rest as we need. We skip meals or gobble them down while doing other jobs at the same time, feeling proud of our ability to ‘multi-task’, even if our digestion doesn’t agree with our assessment of the situation! And God just gets squeezed out, because we simply don’t have time for Him.
When I was a teacher, I taught pupils of the value of margins so that there was room for my comments and instructions on their work, next to the relevant section of what they had written. Margins function in the same way in our lives; we need to allow space for God to speak to us, guide us and instruct us. That means looking carefully at our busyness and making sure that we have right priorities: ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ (Matt 6:33)
One of the most challenging verses in the Bible is Ps 46:10 – ‘Be still and know that I am God.‘ Being still means having margins, space for God. As we re-order our priorities, we will spend time with God, seeking Him in prayer, reading His instruction manual. We will understand that He seeks to be at the centre of our lives, not just in the margins. We will find that putting Him first, instead of squeezed into the tiniest footnote imaginable, will actually give us ample time to do what is necessary. As Jesus reminds us, ‘these things’ which consume so much of our thoughts and activities will be given to us as well if we concentrate on seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness. It doesn’t make sense to the natural mind, but just as giving God 10% of our income leaves us with more than enough money for what we need, so too giving God time and space and seeking His kingdom first will leave us uncluttered and rested, instead of with a pageful of notes that are indecipherable! Try widening the margins of your life, emptying your time of some of the things which are not so important and exchanging them for time with the God of the universe who loves you and wants to guide you.