Stop!
Posted by: ba <ba@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Final Phase
Stop!
by J. Randal Matheny
The Earth has rotated on its axis at the same
speed since creation, I suppose. But we feel
Einstein's relativity of time, since some of us
would solemnly affirm that the days are shorter,
the years go by more quickly, and there just isn't
time enough to do what's needed.
We want to get to the Center of things, near the
heart of God.
But we feel like we're on a merry-go-round,
hanging on for dear life, about to be slung off by
the centrifugal force.
Everything seems to work against us. Push us away.
Obscure our goal.
It's too much fun, too fast. Even a day set aside
to remember the cost of our freedom (Memorial Day
in the USA) gets lost in travel and television and
tasting the goodies.
No time for thinking, for thanking, for visiting,
for praying. For being.
So where do we go from here?
We don't go. We stop.
Just as Jesus did. He stopped for the blind men
(Matthew 20:32). He stopped to bless little
children (Mark 10:15-17). He stopped to climb the
mountain to be with the Father (Mark 1:35).
Jesus was not driven. He was drawn to the cross by
the will of the Father. And he knew where to stop
along the way.
So we may need a full stop as well.
A full stop to consider the blessings of freedom,
the cost of liberty, the responsibilities of
citizenship.
A full stop to breathe deeply the air of life, to
see the beauty of our surroundings (even though we
may consider them otherwise), to acknowledge the
presence of others close by.
A full stop to ponder a word of Scripture, to chew
our food, to relish being alone with God.
A full stop to consider the consequences of my
habits, to hear myself speak, to look in the
mirror.
We don't need more time. Nor more do. Nor more go.
Little less do we need more fun and games.
We need more stop. More slow.
Maybe the tortoise knew more than he let on. He
did, after all, win the race.
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