Schedule: Ordering Life Around God's Priorities

This is a list or plan of intended events and times. Good structure enables productivity. A schedule is the fruit of prior thought — evidence that a strategy has already been established. It is good and proper to have a program or list of what you consider essential or want to achieve, but be prepared for God to rearrange it.

God's Schedule: Sovereignty and Purpose

God has a schedule of events that has been unfolding throughout history and although only He knows precisely when the end of the world will occur, we can understand from the signs that the end is close (Mt 24:36; Acts 1:7).

God should be at the top of our schedule

Paul noted that just at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly (Rom 5:6). The Father's timetable is not ours, yet it is always purposeful, working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11). So while it is right to plan, we should hold our schedules loosely, ready for God to rearrange them according to His purposes. This will happen on regular occurrence, so we do well to ask: what is my reaction when this happens? Do I meet the interruption with frustration, or with faith, trusting that God is redirecting my steps for His glory and my good?

Ordering Our Days: Wisdom and Discipline

High on the ‘to do’ lists of all Christians should be time to spend in prayer daily, committing your life to God for His guidance, along with feeding your spirit in the Scriptures. If this is not done on a regular basis you are too busy, undisciplined or don’t understand the true source of your new life – as Christians we can’t live effectively without Christ’s help.

It is best to aim for a particular period of the day to establish the routine of ‘sitting at His feet’ and communing with Him (Lk 10:39). Unless we make a consistent, concerted effort to give time to these spiritual disciplines, the enemy will make sure we skip these regular times with God. Sometimes our daily plans and schedules will be interrupted, so although we should be disciplined, being flexible also allows for their accomplishment at some later stage.

Number our days with wisdom

Rest and Worship: Rhythms of Grace

From the beginning, God established a rhythm of work and rest, blessing the seventh day and setting it apart (Gen 2:2-3). The Sabbath was given as a gift, a weekly reminder that we are not slaves to ceaseless activity but creatures made for communion with our Maker (Ex 20:8-11).

In Christ, rest becomes more than a day; it is a disposition of the heart. We are invited to lay down our striving and receive the rest that only He can give (Mt 11:28-30). Regular gathered worship, quiet contemplation, and time away from productive labour keep our schedules from becoming idols and help us remember that life is sustained by grace, not performance.

Rhythms of grace

Reflection and Application:

Examine your current schedule: does it reflect that God is your highest priority?
Block out protected time for prayer and Scripture reading before other demands take over.
Build in regular rhythms of rest and worship rather than treating them as optional extras.
When God rearranges your schedule, what is your first reaction—frustration or faith? Practice receiving interruptions as invitations to trust His timing.