As I write this, I am laying on my back in bed with an icepack cooling my lower lumbar region. While I was on my daily rounds of caring for the homeless kittens in my community, I came across a bus full of nuns and orphans skidding out of control. I heroically leapt from my moving vehicle that was going at a constant speed of 55 mph onto the bus and saved everyone. While they all came out without a scratch. I ended up slipping a disc in my back.
Okay, so I was really just putting away a box of Christmas decorations and tweaked my back. Either way here I lay, completely helpless. I had no idea how much I needed those muscles down there to do even the smallest of tasks. It amazes me how intricately God designed us.
I have had a lot of time to think the last two days, (mainly because I can't reach the TV remote.) I've been blessed to spend some quality time with God, just listening. I, like many of you, lead a hectic life working production in the church. There are meetings, stage setups, rehearsals, youth programs, and weekend services, enough stuff to keep a small army busy. I lay in bed at night with tomorrow's tasks running rampant. Well not this week. I am on paternity leave after having our second son, so I don't have anything at work to worry about. I'm stuck here in bed, so there are no chores at home to worry about. My ADD mind is free as a bird, (which birds easily distract me, but I digress.)
Looking for the positive in this whole thing I am seeing how God is using this incident to force me to refocus myself. Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” I can't remember a time that I have ever embraced that. Being still is not something I would put on a list of “things at which I excel.” However, being forced into doing it, I can see the benefits. God has a lot to share but I am always too busy to listen.
Looking back, I can see now how even my prayers are rushed, asking for wisdom and advice and leaving no time to hear a response. Then frustrated that God is not there for me. If I did that to my wife she'd kick me, yet it sums up my communications with God. To fully rely on him requires that I listen. Stop my day of everything that I think is important and spend time talking and LISTENING to God.
Occasionally before a service, we have all the musicians and tech people spread out across the auditorium and just sit in silence. Pray for what is about to happen and the people who will be sitting in those seat shortly. We ask them to just breathe and listen, because God is active. I have to admit I rarely partake in this event. Not because I'm too good, but too busy. Service is starting soon and there are things that need to get done.
What this time of mandatory “relaxation” has done is to force a refocus of my priorities. It would be of much greater value to spend time in prayer than to make sure the haze fluid is full or any other random task I can find – a task that could be done earlier with better planning on my part. Not requiring God to take a back seat.
I would never wish back trouble on anyone, but I do challenge you to take some time, maybe right now. Put your phone somewhere else, turn off your monitor, and don't think about your next meeting. Just spend 10 minutes with God. Be still and listen.
