Reflections for 5/13/10

"Where does your heart usually go when it is free? Wherever it goes, that is your momentary God. How you use your time and are probably the most honest revelations of your real gods. The God who is in fact God waits like a patient but jealous lover. God's lordship is not dominating but enticing and seductive, and ever so patient."(R. Rohr "Radical Grace" p. 183-184)

I once heard a stewardship message that invited people to meditate on their datebooks and their checkbook registers. The speaker said that in those two things we would find out where our real priorities lie.

To me it is a sad truth, that I and most people that I know are slaves to their calendars. We try to make sure that every minute is covered, that we leave very little if any room for prayer time, for worship, or anything that even remotely resembles a sabbath.

A quick look at the checkbook register will probably show that in order to comfort ourselves we consume more than we really need. Most of which is a temporary fix and then we're left paying for it over a much longer period of time. Leaving no room again for charitable giving, or taking care of an unexpected emergency.

The message of faith has always been to put God first. Since I'm the first person up in the house, what would the rest of the day look like if my first words were "Good morning Lord, thank you for another day." It's not a 1/2 hour conversation, but it prioritizes. How about during the rest of the day? Is there time set aside specifically to do nothing other than be still and listen. Maybe with all those smart phones etc. it might be worth booking some prayer time. I do find that I have much more enthusiasm and energy for the more mundane tasks of living when I do that.

Which then brings us back to the check register. As a practicing Christian, the first part of my budget is what I'll give to my faith community. If you're not a church member, what organization does the type of ministry that you value. Write that first check to them. When I start with that first gift being to God, then I find that the other bills still get paid, and a clearer sense of better stewardship can evolve.

Blessings,
Ed