Beep, swish, jingle, click.
Chime, rattle, ring.
Swoosh, clang, jangle, tick.
Buzz, clatter, ding.
The sounds of my life are reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss rhyming book. Swish, a text message draws my attention. Beep, someone is waiting on the second phone line while I attend to the first. Ding, a new email beckons me to answer. Clang, my calendar reminds me of an appointment. Buzz, the second line left a voice mail instead of waiting. When did my days become a cacophony of ring tones?
In the silence of my morning devotion, I am diverted by a familiar chirp. Oh, that’s why they call it Twitter. These are the incessant squeaks of a culture that needs to sing out on every topic. The tweets bring to mind the peeping of a songbird in the stillness of a peaceful morning. The bird is oblivious to my need for stillness just as the electronic noise imposes on my concentration. The difference, in my worship space, is that one warbles clear joy while the other resonates muddled distraction.
The solution, of course, is to turn it off. Silence the phone as I calm my mind. Shush the interruptions as I commit to the quiet. Step away from the computer, iPad, smart watch, radio, and TV. Move my mind away from the dependence of alerts and alarms long enough to fully immerse myself in scripture. For a time each day, surrender my addiction to worldly information so that my soul is fed and my heart is informed by the still small voice of God.
Certainly the world teaches a different way, but Romans 12:2 brings me back closer to my best. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” That’s a two-part plan, and declining the world’s way is only part one. This Lent, I want to be secure in pursuing that second part to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I think that’s the part that can only be done when God and I are together in the stillness of prayer, study and fasting.
Maybe today I will go outside and listen to that bird. I’ll be sure to take along my Bible… and maybe a good Dr. Seuss book.
May your day be blessed as you pursue what is good, acceptable and perfect.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Beth
Chime, rattle, ring.
Swoosh, clang, jangle, tick.
Buzz, clatter, ding.
The sounds of my life are reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss rhyming book. Swish, a text message draws my attention. Beep, someone is waiting on the second phone line while I attend to the first. Ding, a new email beckons me to answer. Clang, my calendar reminds me of an appointment. Buzz, the second line left a voice mail instead of waiting. When did my days become a cacophony of ring tones?
In the silence of my morning devotion, I am diverted by a familiar chirp. Oh, that’s why they call it Twitter. These are the incessant squeaks of a culture that needs to sing out on every topic. The tweets bring to mind the peeping of a songbird in the stillness of a peaceful morning. The bird is oblivious to my need for stillness just as the electronic noise imposes on my concentration. The difference, in my worship space, is that one warbles clear joy while the other resonates muddled distraction.
The solution, of course, is to turn it off. Silence the phone as I calm my mind. Shush the interruptions as I commit to the quiet. Step away from the computer, iPad, smart watch, radio, and TV. Move my mind away from the dependence of alerts and alarms long enough to fully immerse myself in scripture. For a time each day, surrender my addiction to worldly information so that my soul is fed and my heart is informed by the still small voice of God.
Certainly the world teaches a different way, but Romans 12:2 brings me back closer to my best. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” That’s a two-part plan, and declining the world’s way is only part one. This Lent, I want to be secure in pursuing that second part to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I think that’s the part that can only be done when God and I are together in the stillness of prayer, study and fasting.
Maybe today I will go outside and listen to that bird. I’ll be sure to take along my Bible… and maybe a good Dr. Seuss book.
May your day be blessed as you pursue what is good, acceptable and perfect.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Beth
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