Steve's Blog

Steve Tibbert leads King’s Church London, with sites in Catford, Downham, Lee and Beckenham. The church has seen continued growth since the mid-1990s, both in terms of size and diversity.

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1 Jun 2023

Time is a Precious Commodity

Deb and I were chatting over dinner the other day and reflecting on just how busy the last nine months have felt. My role in Newfrontiers means we travel a lot and have the privilege of seeing what God is doing in many nations. However, the combination of my father passing away at the beginning of this year and Deb’s dad suffering a stroke a few months before that, means that we have been juggling our work commitments with increased family responsibilities. It’s a challenge shared by many people at our stage of life.

Being busy seems to be a fairly constant theme in my life. In fact, I don’t know what it says about our 21st Century lifestyles, but busyness seems to be a frequent cry whatever age you are. Time is a precious commodity. However old we are, whatever our work and family commitments, we all have the same number of hours (168!) available each week. Therefore, it’s important we know we’re using that time well.
How we spend our time tends to reflect our priorities; our calendars reveal what we value. Ephesians 5:15 counsels:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of time…”

I don’t really mind being busy, but I want to know I’m not busy doing the wrong things! I find it helpful to occasionally look back over a few weeks and examine what my hours have been taken up with. How much time have I given to God, family, church and work? Does my calendar reflect what I believe God has given me to do? What have been my major distractions? Am I getting caught up in areas which I could delegate to someone else? Am I setting aside adequate time to relax and rest? With summer approaching we are now entering a slightly quieter season, and it will be good to have time to consider some of these questions and make some adjustments if necessary.

Given the busyness of the last nine months, Deb and I are glad that we will be in the UK for most of the summer. We are looking forward to being around at King’s and having a bit more space in our diaries, although with our youngest son getting married in August, there is still going to be plenty to do.


1 Jun 2023

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