4th Week of Lent
I am reasonably sure that I am not the only driver who has ever had this experience: you are driving along and you find yourself so distracted that all of a sudden you realize that you are 2 exits past the one you intended to take.
Paying attention. It was drilled into us in Drivers Ed. (those of us who actually took Drivers Ed.). It is the mantra of mothers teaching their children how to cross the street (“look left, then right, then left, then right again, then left again, etc., etc.”). It’s what coaches mean when they scream at their players, “Get your head in the game!” It’s what wives want when they ask, “Are you listening to me?” It’s why we have what are called “distracted driving laws” which tell us that while we are driving we should not text, eat, put on make-up, look at the scenery, sing too loudly, or talk to anyone but ourselves. Why? Distraction prevents us from paying attention, and paying attention is important to staying alive.
What is true of the physical world around us is also true of the spiritual world within us. Just as we are so prone to allowing distractions to divert our attention in our daily lives we are equally prone to letting distractions keep us from paying attention to the present work of God in our spiritual lives. That’s one reason why Lent is so important for us. It is a period of time where we intentionally pay attention. We should be doing this all the time but distraction is often a drug far too powerful to resist on an on-going basis. So we enter into seasons during the year like Advent and Lent and Easter (yes, Easter is a season not a day). Lent calls us to attend to the presence of God around us and within us. More specifically, it calls us to attend to the present presence of God around us and within us. This is a critically important distinction to make, because if you are like me you tend to focus the energy of your attention either in the past or in the future.
For me, my distraction drug of choice has always been the future. I have spent so much time and energy through much of my life extending myself out into the future. It’s not bad to have dreams and aspirations but for me those have often robbed me of living fully in the here and now. I admit that I have not always been “fully present” in my own life. I have been “out there” somewhere dreaming and wondering what life will be like someday.
For others their distraction drug may be the past. This is especially tempting for people as they enter into their mid-life and senior years. They look back at what life was like when the kids were little, or when they were working, or when twitter was how birds sang in the back yard first thing in the morning. Back then. Back when life was good (though if we were honest we didn’t always think so at the time).
Paying attention. It was drilled into us in Drivers Ed. (those of us who actually took Drivers Ed.). It is the mantra of mothers teaching their children how to cross the street (“look left, then right, then left, then right again, then left again, etc., etc.”). It’s what coaches mean when they scream at their players, “Get your head in the game!” It’s what wives want when they ask, “Are you listening to me?” It’s why we have what are called “distracted driving laws” which tell us that while we are driving we should not text, eat, put on make-up, look at the scenery, sing too loudly, or talk to anyone but ourselves. Why? Distraction prevents us from paying attention, and paying attention is important to staying alive.
What is true of the physical world around us is also true of the spiritual world within us. Just as we are so prone to allowing distractions to divert our attention in our daily lives we are equally prone to letting distractions keep us from paying attention to the present work of God in our spiritual lives. That’s one reason why Lent is so important for us. It is a period of time where we intentionally pay attention. We should be doing this all the time but distraction is often a drug far too powerful to resist on an on-going basis. So we enter into seasons during the year like Advent and Lent and Easter (yes, Easter is a season not a day). Lent calls us to attend to the presence of God around us and within us. More specifically, it calls us to attend to the present presence of God around us and within us. This is a critically important distinction to make, because if you are like me you tend to focus the energy of your attention either in the past or in the future.
For me, my distraction drug of choice has always been the future. I have spent so much time and energy through much of my life extending myself out into the future. It’s not bad to have dreams and aspirations but for me those have often robbed me of living fully in the here and now. I admit that I have not always been “fully present” in my own life. I have been “out there” somewhere dreaming and wondering what life will be like someday.
For others their distraction drug may be the past. This is especially tempting for people as they enter into their mid-life and senior years. They look back at what life was like when the kids were little, or when they were working, or when twitter was how birds sang in the back yard first thing in the morning. Back then. Back when life was good (though if we were honest we didn’t always think so at the time).
Now, there is nothing wrong with a nostalgic look to the past, or with a hopeful gaze into the future. We would not be human if we did not engage in such activities. In fact, it is one of the things that truly sets us apart from other aspects of creation. The problem is when we dwell there in such a way that the present begins to fade in importance. But the past-lovers and future-dwellers will tell us these are often much more preferred places to live than the present. Perhaps, but the problem is that God is a God of the present. He dwells eternally in the here and now. Isn’t it interesting that God said to Moses, “I AM”, not “I WAS”, or “I WILL BE”. Those are true to be sure but God chose a phrase that communicated that He is ever present in the here and now.
Reflecting back upon His presence with us in the past, or thinking ahead hoping for His presence with us in the future may be comforting exercises but God is ever calling us to dwell with Him fully in each moment as it presents itself to us. Neglecting to do so robs us of the intimacy of God’s presence. Attention to the present moment with God is the only way to truly hear Him and experience His presence with us.
I have to admit, though, I’m not very good at this. I want to be. I desperately want to live in such a way that I am aware of God in the hundreds of little things going on around me in every moment. I would love to cultivate the kind of present moment relationship with Him that makes discerning His will nothing more than a glance upward instead of needing a 3 day silent retreat just to get the ball rolling. But, I confess, I am often addicted to distraction. That’s why I need Lent. It’s why I need this Lenten season. If there is any great need in my own life right now it’s the need to let go of the past AND the future and to live fully in the present moment just as it is, with all of its pain, joy, confusion, peace, fearfulness, or contentment. Whatever it is, it has God present in it. And who would want to miss that?
1 comment:
Very good This would make a good sermon.
Post a Comment