I'm a doer not a lover. Yeah I know, it sounds like a cheesy lyric from a love song written in the 1970's, the kind of song that shows up on Time Life Compilation CD's. But unfortunately this statement is often true of my own life.

As I've continued reading Getting Things Done, I've realized that I often focus more on what I'm doing for God instead of how deeply I love God. If you're a Christian, you probably have a list of ways that you serve the Lord. Overseeing insane three-years olds in your church children's ministry, leading a small group, maintaining a website, blogging, visiting the elderly, you know the things I'm talking about. But God isn't primarily concerned with how much stuff we're doing in His name. He's much more concerned about the intensity of our love for Him.

The story of Mary and Martha is a wonderful example of this truth. Martha was serving like a mad-woman, scurrying about the house in an effort to put on the perfect meal for Jesus. Mary on the other hand was hanging out at Jesus' feet, delighting in every word that came from His lips. When Martha complained to Jesus about Mary's apparent lack of service, Jesus actually rebuffed her. He reminded her that loving the Lord is infinitely more important than doing things for the Lord.


Are you a Mary or a Martha? Do you take greater delight in spending time with the Lord or doing things for the Lord. I want to be like Mary.

Have you ever felt the satisfaction of accomplishing something, of having your plans succeed? It's a really good feeling. Or, have you felt the burning frustration that comes with having your plans thwarted? Nothing is more maddening than seeing a well laid plan shot to pieces.

As I've read the book Getting Things Done, I've been reminded of why our God is so happy: He accomplishes all that he pleases. Psalm 135:6 says, " Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps." God does whatever he desires! He gets all things done and nothing can stand in his way. When He wants something, He gets it. This is why he is so happy.

John Piper puts it this way: "What these two verses (Psalm 135:6; 115:3) teach is that everything God takes pleasure in doing, he does and cannot be hindered from doing. Or to put it somewhat differently, all that he does he takes pleasure in. He cannot be kept back from doing what he delights most to do." - The Pleasures of God

This is really good news for us. As Christians, we are brought into the exceeding happiness of God. He joy overflows to us, and through Christ we are filled to overflowing. Isn't this truth wonderful? As you go about your day, seeking to "get things done", remember our very happy God and ask Him to fill you with joy.

I'm going on vacation this week and plan on reading the book Getting Things Done, by David R. Allen. This productivity oriented book has generated an almost cult-like following of people who walk around with lists in their pockets and categorize every to-do into a "Next Action", "Project", "Someday", "Waiting For", "If I Don't Max Out My Credit Card First", or "If My Wife Lets Me". I've read this book before, and as I read it I find myself caught between two healthy tensions:

1) Wanting to be more productive for the sake of Christ. Colossians 4:5 calls us to, "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time." I want to spend my energies for the glory of Christ, not wasting my life on fruitless pursuits. In light of this, I desire to be more productive and "Get Things Done" for the glory of God.

2) Realizing that only God accomplishes all that's on his to-do list. In scripture we see that only God gets everything done. God is the only perfectly productive being in the universe. He never grows tired, never has a brain meltdown, never needs a thirty-minute power nap. As I seek to get things done, I want to acknowledge my absolute dependence on God for grace. And ultimately, Jesus Christ is the only man who ever got everything done. He's the Savior, the perfect man, the One who obeyed God even to death. Oh how I need the Savior.

If you've ever thought about trying to be more productive, let these two tensions inspire you to call out to God. You need his grace to live a life that makes the most of every moment, and you need his grace to get things done. Above all, you need the Savior.