Develop a Spirituality of Time

I thought we were in the Back to School season this week, but, lo and behold, my local grocery store has Halloween ceramic porch decorations out! Another Christian bookstore, of all things, in Indianapolis had a whole wall full of Thanksgiving items for sale. Of course, giving thanks is very Biblical but this was specifically tailored to the Thanksgiving holiday with harvest scenes, pumpkins, turkeys, and pilgrims all giving thanks.

We as believers are going to have to be the ones to push back on this rush in our world today. There is an explosion of media, news and information at every turn in our lives. I play a word game on my phone and each time a turn is done I have to listen to a 5-second commercial. I read the line they put up on You Tube when I watch a video The video will start after the advertisement! We are inundated and even to find some silence will require a certain amount of discipline. And sometimes the early display of seasonal items makes us anxious.

You and I need to develop a Spirituality of Time that says our walk with the Lord is of the most importance in our lives. We do not need to join the fervent rush of life in the world in which we live. We can slow down knowing the Lord is leading and guiding us. We can know that the Lord is beside us to encourage us onward and upward to achieve our dreams, passions and our goals. And, best of all, we keep in mind the Footprints picture of only one set of footprints in the sand. That is the Lord carrying us when times are tough, when we struggle or strain in life. When we are in any kind of pain and when all seems lost the Lord carries us. And the Lord goes behind us to catch us when we fall! As Psalm 40: 1-3 says The Lord heard my cry, God reached down in the miry pit and took my hand and lifted me up. God set me on a solid rock and gave me a new song to sing for the Lord.

God hears our cry for silence, for slowing down, for our walk with the Lord. God honors our spirituality of time, as we push back against the press and stress of daily living. Let the Christmas dcor come out in the stores its okay. I need not feel anxious that I need to shop or hurry or worry. All time is Gods and I am Gods so together well work it out. One day at a time, one moment at a time throughout every season of time God is with us! Actually, that reminds, me! God with us is the definition of the word Emmanuel used in Matthews Gospel (1:23) as a name for Jesus. And the hymn Emmanuel is one we sing at Christmas time!

Pr. Doug Givan is a pastor in the ELCA (Lutheran) church and can be reached at douggivan@yahoo.com

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Develop a 'Spirituality of Time' - Brazil Times