Good
Evening Gentle Readers
Well
it’s here, Advent, it’s time to take stock of where we are and
know that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand......
Luke
21:34-36
Jesus
said to his disciples, “Be on guard so that your hearts are not
weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this
life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For
it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.
“Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
“Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
“Be
alert at all times, praying…” These words seem to anticipate our
sluggishness, our drowsiness, our lack of vigilance. But I suspect
that our daily lives actually offer a sharp contrast to lethargy.
I had to ask myself when am I not alert. When I am at work I am listening for phone calls, waiting for people to come in, checking my email, looking at my phne its non stop.
I had to ask myself when am I not alert. When I am at work I am listening for phone calls, waiting for people to come in, checking my email, looking at my phne its non stop.
We’re
constantly alert. Many of us fall asleep with our phones, wake up to
our phones, check constantly on the goals our devices set for us, and
spend much of the waking day responding to the latest beep or ping.
Our willingness and ability to be alert is generally not a
problem.
But, “Be alert at all times, praying…” provides a solemn challenge, one that extends beyond my awareness that the Son of Man will come again and I know not when. Jesus calls me to ask God for the strength to live well, with my heart awake. I should ask for this continually, without ceasing.
What if I prayed for God’s assistance as constantly as I keep an eye on my e-mail? What if my consciousness that I need God’s help were as constant as my consciousness that someone-might-be-trying-to-contact-me-right-now?
The Advent season we begin tomorrow is not a time to abandon the work and the relationships that are rightly important to us. But it is a time to revisit what we watch for and which of our daily “alerts” really matter. When we find some that don’t, we find space to be vigilant and pray.
But, “Be alert at all times, praying…” provides a solemn challenge, one that extends beyond my awareness that the Son of Man will come again and I know not when. Jesus calls me to ask God for the strength to live well, with my heart awake. I should ask for this continually, without ceasing.
What if I prayed for God’s assistance as constantly as I keep an eye on my e-mail? What if my consciousness that I need God’s help were as constant as my consciousness that someone-might-be-trying-to-contact-me-right-now?
The Advent season we begin tomorrow is not a time to abandon the work and the relationships that are rightly important to us. But it is a time to revisit what we watch for and which of our daily “alerts” really matter. When we find some that don’t, we find space to be vigilant and pray.
I
find myself being very aware when important customers are in, or
looking for my help. Should I not be just as aware when the Lord is
asking me to act, or asking me to love as the most important
customer?
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