Pastor Jean Newell, Sun Lakes United Methodist Church
Alright, I give up! Where has this year gone? It seems the older I get, the faster time goes! Anyone else feel like you’ve lost track of time? I thought I was taking time along the way to stop and smell the roses, but now I have to wonder.
Not long ago I found myself sitting in a waiting room waiting for an appointment. I usually have a Bible study book with me or a sermon I’m working on, but that day I had rushed off, leaving my books and papers on my desk. Lacking the patience to just sit, I picked up a nearby magazine. One of the articles highlighted on the cover had to do with finding balance in life. It reflected views on needing to take time out for oneself in an effort to avoid burnout, with Sunday being set aside as a time to regroup.
The article then led me to three other articles. Now granted, I was waiting to be called for my appointment, so I skimmed each of the four articles and then went back over them more slowly. What disappointed me was that nowhere in any of the articles – including the one on how kickboxing can help bring balance into your life – did anyone mention anything about the spiritual aspect of one’s life, about one’s relationship with God. I couldn’t help but feel like there was something – a big something – missing from those articles. Was this a case of secret agent Christians? The ones Rick Warren, author of 40 Days of Purpose, says are like arctic rivers – frozen at the mouth? Maybe those quoted in the articles are Christians but reluctant to share their faith. Who knows?
This all brings me back to where I began. Whether we call it taking time to smell the roses or finding balance in our lives, we need to make time this time of year to focus on the Reason for the Season – to celebrate the coming of the Christ Child! God loves us so much that He took the time to come to earth, so that we might experience the reality of His love.
Throughout this Holiday Season, may you experience the reality of His love as you take time to read God’s Written Word, listen to the music of the season, attend a special worship service, spend time with family and friends, and perhaps share God’s love with those less fortunate.