You set the boundaries of the earth, and You made both summer and winter.
Psalm 74:17 NLT
Boundaries create margin. What is
margin?
In the book Margin, the author Richard A. Swenson, M.D. explains the concept
like this:
“Marginless is fatigue; margin is energy. Marginless is red ink; margin
is black ink. Marginless is hurry; margin is calm. Marginless is anxiety;
margin is security. Marginless is culture; margin is counterculture. Marginless
is the disease of the new millennium; margin is its cure.”
Margin welcomes grace. Marginless
squashes grace.
It’s not difficult to see and
feel the effects of marginless living—and it is painful. Stressed and pressed
in, it’s difficult for us to breathe. But we tend to resist simplicity,
contentment, and quietness.
A term used while creating
websites and blogs is “white space”. White space is the empty spaces in a
design. It is the lack of graphics or text in the layout. White space is not
always “white” and may also be known as breathing room. It simplifies and is
soothing to our senses. This validates the tradition of clear margins in written
works.
Mary, Jesus’ mother understood
and practiced margin. In regards to Jesus’ birth Scripture tells us, But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19 NIV). Ponder means to put one thing
with another in considering circumstances. To treasure means to preserve or to
keep closely together. The events of Jesus’ birth were significant and warranted
Mary’s attentive heart gathering together the pieces of God’s plan and
revelation of Christ and consider all He was to be for
mankind.
What are we missing through
marginless living? Health, peace, and joyful living come to mind. Could it be
we lose more than we gain when we don’t plan margin into our lives?
Breathe.
Lord God, show me where I have
no margins that result in pain and stress. There is health in boundaries. Lord,
show me where I can incorporate margin in the New Year.
Karen Sims
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