On the World Race we travel a lot…who knew? We tend to spend a decent amount of time in
airports, bus stations, and waiting on taxis. Some of this time is spent talking, praying, reading, or if there is
enough action, I’ll sit and just people watch for a while. As we flew from Nicaragua to Ireland I
started to notice something. Maybe it
was due to the fact that that I currently have very few possessions to play
with, but as I walked around the airport and even on the planes I noticed it
was unusual to see someone without a cell phone to their ear, listening to
their iPod, texting a friend, or doing last minute work on a laptop.
As I saw this I began to remember most of my time fit into
this category at home. In America I
always had something on my plate…after all you have to be busy or you’re just
not being productive…or you’ll be seen as not important…right? That’s honestly how I felt a lot of
times. But when we fill our lives up so
much with activities and noise, how do we listen to a God who wants to whisper
to our hearts? Sure we give God 30
minutes when we wake up or before we go to bed, but why do we make him stay in
that box…in that time slot…in that managed environment?
On the Race I may not have a television to watch or spend
hours on the internet, but I still find ways to distract myself. Why is it that I find it difficult to just
sit and be in the presence of God? Is it
just because I have trouble concentrating? Am I too easily distracted? Have
I filled my schedule too full to make time for God? Honestly, I think it has more to do with the
fact that I don’t grasp who God really is. I don’t comprehend his love, his forgiveness, his grace. I don’t understand what he has saved me from,
what he is calling me to, and just how big and powerful my God truly is. Because if I did, I can’t see how I would
have trouble spending a few hours, days, a lifetime, longing to be close to my
Father.
