We live in such a fast paced society. Our cars are fast, our food is fast, our internet is fast, ATM’s are fast, our emails are fast, our cell phones are fast, our schedules are fast…… As we move ‘faster and faster’, we expect ‘faster and faster’ and we lose patience with anything that dares to slow us down. Think of your reaction the last time you got into a line, or a traffic jam, or got a busy signal, or someone was late, or took longer to tie their shoes or move from one room to the other. The only exception seems to be our acceptance of being slowed down for the Tim Horton’s drive thru. Go figure. Unfortunately, this need for ‘faster and faster’ affects many other aspects of our lives as well – our family time is less, our leisure and exercise times are shorter, our ability to let others move at their own pace is stretched, our devotions are... well, devotions would be a good idea if we just had the time! We’ve let others set the pace for us – and it just keeps getting faster.
And we’re paying a price for “fast”. Our cool cars are fast - but the death toll on our highways is rising. Fast food is convenient - but it is destroying our health. The internet is fast – but it is robbing our time and taking us some places too fast. We’ve lost control of our finances because of fast purchases. We respond too emails quickly and hit the send button too fast, which can land us in trouble. Cell phones have taken control of our lives. I’m thinking of those occasions when we are with people – but sadly we’re not really with them because we’re either on the phone or busy text messaging. Or we talk on the phone or text message while we’re driving the car…fast. Our schedules have us stressed out and we are always tired. And devotions? Well, they would still be a good idea if we just had the time. It reminds me of the Aesop fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare”. For all our speed, we seem to be getting nowhere fast – except perhaps to our own end.
I wonder if this what the psalmist had in mind when he wrote: “Be still”. “Know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). When we travel at light speed, we have little time to think, reflect, make wise and prudent decisions, build relationships or walk gently and patiently beside those who just can’t travel in the fast lane. The theme of our newest Exceptional Possibilities magazine, “Taking the time to care” speaks to the reality of a slower pace for some – and the triumph for those who ‘take the time to care’.
We need to take time to ‘Be Still’. Life moves too quickly not to. There’s so much that demands our attention and energy that we need the wisdom of God to sort through these things, to prioritize and slow us down so we don’t move so quickly that we miss the important opportunities to care, to connect, to serve. I don’t slow down enough, but one of the practices I have tried to maintain is occasionally, whether at my desk, stuck in traffic, or more likely waiting in a drive through for a Tim’s, is to take a moment and “Be Still”. It’s not a replacement for designated devotional time with God, but it often helps me refocus and presents an opportunity for God to gently remind me to slow down, move in His time, and order a salad instead of the double patty, bacon cheese burger.
Anyway, I was just thinking…
Neil
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