Create Margin

When writing a letter, I like to keep the content of the letter to one page on the front of the paper. I will often begin writing the letter with standard margins: one inch left, right, top, and bottom. This standard approach to term papers and letters is regularly sufficient to encapsulate the fullness of the letter. Yet, there are times when once I have completed the letter with these margins, I realize I have bled over to a second page. When I notice I have “gone over,” I will look to the margin tab at the top of the program to realign the page with new margins to bring the whole letter onto one page. This has at times meant I needed to change the margins as much as 50% to 0.5 left, right, top, and bottom.

Margins play a role in the act of writing to give space for the reader’s eyes to move without angst or difficulty across the page, taking in the words. If I were to give someone a single-spaced letter with no margins, the level of anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed with the number of words would create its own stress inside the person. Yet, there are many days in our lives where we seek to live without margins in our daily schedule. God has given us a set number of hours each day (our blank sheet of paper) and we tend to pack the page with our daily tasks and experiences without any margin. I can do more, see more, or say more…I see a blank space still on the paper.

Jesus’ model of life created margin where he intentionally made space for time alone with his Father; time alone with the disciples; and time alone to rest and recuperate. Look at these passages:

• Matthew 14:23, “After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.”
• Matthew 13:36, “Then leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, ‘Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.’”
• Luke 8:22-23a, “One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap.”

In his book Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson writes, “We must have some room to breathe. We need freedom to think and permission to heal. Our relationships are being starved to death by velocity. No one has the time to listen, let alone love” (Page 26). As we wrap up our series on Sabbath and Rest, how is God calling you to create margin in your life? Where do you need to create space to breathe, spend time with God, with family, and with friends?

Prayer: Lord, guide my mind and my heart to the margins of my life. I am trying to fit too much into each day and need the margin and boundary to say, “No” to fitting more stuff into my life. Give me the wisdom and discernment to allow certain projects and activities to bleed over into the next page (the next day) and find margin in each day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.