Lent Day 31: No hurry

If you could once make up your mind never to undertake more work... than you can carry on calmly, quietly, without hurry or flurry... and if the instant you feel yourself growing nervous and... out of breath, you would stop and take breath, you would find this common-sense rule doing for you what no prayer or tears could ever accomplish. 

- Elizabeth Prentiss 1818-1878

For the past decade, this quote has guided me as a faithful reminder to do things without worry or haste, leaving everything in God’s time. If it is true that God is in control, it is his responsibility to give us enough time for the tasks he has chosen.

Another aha moment came recently when I read Luke 11:9-10: “Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." Our path is less clear and more dangerous when we extend our day beyond what God asks of us.

Sometimes we could do more by doing less. When we are exhausted, over-booked, and stressed, our lives don’t function at maximum capacity. Taking a break to think about the beauty of the world, as well as ranking task priorities, might be the key to creativity and well-being.

Many of us feel harassed by what we schedule for ourselves. But if Jesus did everything he was called to do in 12 hours, why are we putting in 16 or 18, between family, church, and jobs? Do we have more to do than he?

Websites such as www.slowfood.com and http://zenhabits.net offer ideas from a secular viewpoint about slowing down to enjoy the life we have been given.

Read more:
*May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May He be your help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.

May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Psalm 20:1-5 NIV

*I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will continually be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:1-4 NIV

*These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:13-15  NKJV
----

This post was originally written in August, 2009.

Lent Day 25: The crest of the wave

Life seems to be experienced in waves. Entire years and decades of Jesus' life go unrecorded. Then  his ministry crests: he chooses disciples and velocity quickens to wash toward his sacrifice on the cross as the Passover lamb.

The ebb of the resurrection, where God pulls back mortality's curtain to showcase His magnificence and power even over death, creates a riptide for the disciples. Jesus spends 40 quiet days with them, expounding on God's mission. He shows them their future as Life-With-God before he withdraws to allow the Holy Spirit to descend.

The Spirit roars into the life of the apostles with godly authority and power. Life and renewal splash throughout the city of Jerusalem and ripples into the world through the pilgrims attending the Pentecostal feast.

Throughout the book of Acts, ebbs and flows in the intensity mark the spread of the gospel:

• Organization and favor. 
• Persecution, outward movement, and expansion. 
• Suffering and missionary proclamation. 
• Exile and writing to preserve the record of Christ and the early Church.

Have you experienced such seasons of quiet, followed by building energy and a surge of momentum?

Where am I right now? A bucket of "aha"s have been dumped on me since last weekend. The wave is rising and I am being carried into the future. I'm not certain of the shore toward which the power of "forward" is pulling me. And that doesn't matter too much. God only requires my "being in this" completely, attentive and intentional toward the work of His Spirit.

How do we "ride the wave" in seasons of change?

1. Breathe in the time of calm and stand at ease when there's no direction.
2. Mull over (and record) lessons learned and insights acquired during the pause between what was and what is becoming.
3. Still your fears of change. God is in control. Completely. Utterly. Beautifully. He holds your future securely and will not let you go.
4. Prepare yourself. Embrace whatever comes your way. Pray. Meditate on scripture. Serve at church. Read an insightful book, listen to a speaker, or attend an event. You may unexpectedly run into an acquaintance or eavesdrop on other conversations.
5. Be willing and obedient. When work appears, when a door opens, when God clears away the clutter of the past to a clear future ... say YES.
6. Surf the wave. God's current will direct you. Enjoy the ride: fighting the water will smash you, suck you under, and make you feel like you're drowning.
7. Enjoy the view as you land on the new shore. Wherever God takes you, He has planned this in advance. What is the wonder of this next job, this new ministry, or this fresh relationship?

What's your favorite wave to date? Were you surprised where the current took you?