Friday, January 27th

Within the ordinary activities of life, God dwells. It's almost 3:30 on a Friday afternoon as I sit here at Caribou coffee writing this blog entry. A cup of dark roast, Sumatra, sits to my left in a white ceramic mug. Jazz plays on the speaker overhead. It's a comfortable "office" for me today. Began the day at the church organizing my day, went to a meeting for over an hour, prepared for the adult forum on Sunday, had lunch, visited 3 people in the hospital, made some phone calls, sent some emails, and now here I sit, reflecting upon where God's fingerprints might be on my day. I've prayed along the way today, as I walked to lunch, as I sat waiting before entering a hospital room, and with the three people I visited. But, I haven't taken time to obeserve the classic "pastoral offices" of daily prayer. I've tried in the past to do so. I admire the intentionality and the way some people can organize their days around those certain times to pray. It just hasn't worked for me. Maybe I'm just not organized enough, or that I resist too much structure. Maybe, I like to pray on the "fly" instead of sitting still. However, I realize that my prayers don't make God act during the day. God will act beyond my prayers. However, praying for me opens me up to see the work of the Spirit and maintains my contact with the One who has called me into this ministry. Lots of days are just mundane. My prayers are less than spectacular. But, it is in this ordinaryness of praying and living that the real relationship with the living God emerges.

Lord, open my eyes and heart to experience your still presence in the everday occurances of life. Increase my awareness and deepen my love for you and others. Jesus, you say that you were hungry and you were fed, naked and you were clothed, sick and you were visited, thirsty and your thirst slaked, and in prison and received a visit. You cross my paths not in spectacular ways, but in the ordinary ways. I hope I haven't missed you in pursuit of something bigger and better. Continually slow me down to walk at a pace that experiences the joy of your presence. In the name of Christ. Amen.