I was walking our dog around the neighborhood. There are stop signs located at several of the intersections within our development. There is one intersection where I have seen cars do a “rolling stop” on several occasions. However, on this day, at around 3 pm, when school buses were bringing children home, a young man drove through the intersection at a high rate of speed. He just barreled right through the intersection without even a pause. Nope, not even a pause. He was in too much of a hurry to stop, to pause, to acknowledge a warning set in place to prevent harm. Apparently, he felt there was no time to heed the warning.
I have observed that is how some of us live. I have lived this way in the past, and it only leads to calamity. We are not meant to live our lives full speed ahead at a breakneck pace, as our culture often seems to promote and encourage. We are often in a rush to get to the next destination, to accomplish the next task or goal. If we are modeling our lives after Jesus, shouldn’t we ask ourselves, “Is that how He lived?” As we read the scriptures, was Jesus ever in a hurry? The answer is no, he was not. He lived, loved, and served at a pace that allowed Him to take notice of the people around Him. His time on earth was very short, and He made great use of it. He showed up for people, fully present, not in a hurry, not looking for the next thing to do. He paused. He noticed. He connected. He changed lives by taking the time to see people where they were and not leaving them there. He always left people better than He found them.
Jesus modeled for us the rhythm of a life well-lived, sacrificially, perfectly. He always took time to spend with the Father. He regularly went away to a quiet place, away from distractions, to seek the will of the Father throughout His earthly ministry. Jesus knew it was vital to stay in constant communion with God the Father, giving Him His full attention. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35). Jesus knew the importance of prayer. He knew the necessity of walking in obedience to the Father. If we do not seek God’s will, how can we obey Him?
Pause and pray? Pause and notice? Pause and connect? Hmmm, what an interesting concept. How often do we barrel through our day without pausing to even acknowledge the One who gave us the day to barrel through? How often do we rush to accomplish our daily tasks that we fail to pause and thank God for the life He has given us, and ask Him to help us prioritize our tasks? Perhaps if we paused just long enough to seek God first, to seek His wisdom and guidance, we may be able to eliminate some of our tasks and focus on God’s assignment for us. We cannot even know what that is if we do not take the time to seek Him first. Do we notice how He’s moving in our lives or in those around us? Not the big, unmistakable miracles but the little everyday moments that have God’s hand all over them. What about the beauty of nature? Have you noticed the trees and flowers beginning to bloom? Did you catch the amazing way God formed the clouds in the sky today? What about that breathtaking sunrise or sunset?
Pause long enough to be still and push away all the distractions of life. Pause and pray to align yourself with God’s will through studying and meditating on His Word. Sit in the presence of the Lord and just allow His peace to permeate your heart and soul. Surrender your cares, your hopes, your dreams, your fears, and anxieties to the Lord. Give Him every burden weighing on your heart. He wants you to give them to Him so that you can exchange them for His supernatural peace and joy. As we learn to pause and release our burdens to the Lord, we can move at a pace that sustains His peace. We can live in a rhythm of being still, abiding, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our interactions throughout the day. We will walk with the Spirit and heed the warnings that keep us from rushing ahead of God into chaos or calamity. We don’t lag behind. We don’t rush ahead. We walk in step with the Spirit. Let’s model Jesus’ way of life! We cannot rush through this life and advance the Kingdom of God! We must live, love, and serve, pausing to pray and notice those around us who need the hope that we have. Let’s give them Jesus!
(Luke 5:15-16, NIV) Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
