There I was, once again, at the grocery store. I wasn't particularly in a hurry, yet I wanted to just go ahead and get what I needed and hit the road..... on to bigger and better things, such as a nap and some general "rot down" time. So, needless to say I was in my own world, in deep comtemplation of what I would find along the grocery aisle in which I found myself. And then, that's when I stumbled all over it.
You see, as I mindlessly made my way down the aisle, I heard a voice behind me calling "mam! mam!" There was a sense of urgency in the voice. I heard it again, and turned around to see a man pushing a shopping cart, at a rather quick pace, toward me. As I was trying to process what this might be all about, he whizzed right past me to the woman in front of me..... the woman whom I did not even notice. This woman was toting (or, trying to tote) a case of bottled water, and two or three other items of significant weight and bulk. The man, who had the cart and only a bag of chips, pushed the cart right up to the woman, and insisted that she take the cart, helping her to put the items in the cart. Instead of being off in his own world, as I was, he was aware of a need, and was quick to take action. She smiled and thanked his profusely. And I had found my lesson.
One year on the senior high CTCYM mission trip, at evening worship, I did a short meditation called "looking for your lesson." It was something that I myself had learned as I worked at the work site, "serving" others. It was the lesson that God had for me, and my task that evening was to share it with the group. Yet, during the week, I became very aware that God was placing "lessons" in my life all through the week, all during the day. I began to see it in the client. I began to see it in the youth work teams, and I began to see it in the community. It wasn't so much what we were there to "do," but also what we were there to learn. I'll leave the details out for now, because I have a great sermon on grace that I will share with you one day..... a lesson on grace that was my lesson for the day. And it was on that day that I realized that God's lessons for us are in the everyday, the ordinary, the common..... and sometimes (make that most times) we have to open our eyes and our hearts, and look for our lesson..... for that which God would have us learn. In other words, to ask ourselves, "What does God have for me today in this circumstance, in this person, or in this place? How is God speaking to me" And rest assurred, there is ALWAYS a lesson from God. That's what happens when we stay open to that which God is doing in our lives every day, and every minute. Sometimes it is blatant, like the 'ol 2x4 over the head. But, most of the time it is subtle..... more like the "sound" of the silence in which God came to the prophet Elijah. (1 Kings 19:11-16).
So, next time you're in the grocery store, or at work, or sitting in a drive through, come out of your own little world and ponder that which God has for you. You just might be surprised where and how you'll find your lesson when you look for your lesson...... by opening up your heart to God and God's work in your life and in the lives of those around us.
No comments:
Post a Comment