Are You Distracted? | Psalm 46.10
I recall one day when I was on my way to a meeting and running late - as per usual. I was driving with haste, not quite speeding but definitely in a rush down a road with many pace halting speed bumps. As I was driving down the road, there was some worship playing on my radio. I came to the end of the road where a red light added more length to my delay.
As I sat at the light trying to think of a good excuse for my tardiness, I started to listen more carefully to the worship that had been playing in my car since I left my house. The anthemic nature of the words and tune fully grabbed my spirit. In that moment I became lost in worship - singing and praising God in a brief moment of peace among the rush and hustle.
While this was all going on, I didn't realize the light had changed to green! I opened my eyes and saw a bright green light, that I could only assume had been that way for a while. The moment of worship had brought me to a complete pause - and lucky it did. Upon seeing the green light ahead and preparing to resume in my rush, a car from the right hand side across from me coming right to left, sped through their own red light so quick I felt my car slightly shake as it zoomed by. It had completely run through it's own red light without regard for any other traffic that would be coming in its path. If I had actually taken off when the green light was supposed to dictate I do so, I would more than likely have met that speeding car - via it attempting to drive through my drivers door in a nasty collision.
I often reflect on that day in relation to life as a Christian. Had I been distracted by God in order to avoid a potentially fatal accident? OR actually, did God grab my attention back from being distracted by things of the world, in order to prevent me from rushing into harms way?
A big part of a healthy Christian life is regularly checking and making sure that God has your full and undivided attention. In a time where most of us live full-on, busy, fast lives, we often force God into a white-noise like position - we are rushing fast from one thing to another, not noticing the presence of the Holy Spirit playing constantly in the background. If we continue down this path we might collide with something detrimental to our lives, faith and our well being. I was lucky that day to hear what I believe was Gods intervention. Not everyone is as fortunate.
He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth"
Psalm 46.10 (NIV)
Like the Psalmist pens in Psalm 46.10, I believe we must make a habit of being still and knowing that He is God. Take the time during your day to reflect on this idea - That knowing God sometimes isn't about rushing and even searching, but can in fact about pausing and being still. Don't be timid about being fully engulfed in worship and in the Holy Spirit at work in You. Taking the time to pause, be still and take in Gods goodness could just save you from a unwanted collision.
Some Questions to Consider:
- At this point in time, how much of my attention and focus goes toward God?
- What can I do in my faith life to regularly take the time to be still (Ps 46.10) in practical and useful ways?
- Who in my life that I'm aware might need prayer in this area also?
by Michael Lemanu - Mission Resourcing