On Fridays I volunteer and teach a Bible Study for the middle
schoolers at the Catholic School in town. This past Friday I missed it because I
had to return back home to get my vestments for Mass, which immediately follows the
study. As I am on the last street about to turn into the school parking lot, I
look in the back seat and to my surprise, no vestments. I then had to rush home
and pickup my necessary vestments to serve at Mass. This is about a 35-minute
round trip, so there was no way for me to make it back in time to teach the
study. Which was very disappointing because we are going through Luke’s Gospel,
probably my favorite of the four.
On the trip back home, after making a phone call to the
school to tell them what had happened. I started to think about how this had transpired.
What had gone wrong? As I reflected upon my actions during the morning, it occurred
to me that the break down took place during the last moments before I left the
house. First there was controversy because our second daughter, Rebekah, could
not find her shirt for her Mass uniform. So of course, there was a major break
down on that front, with much wailing and crying. Then I was on the phone with
someone from work as I was packing up to leave the house. Looking back, I was
clearly distracted and did not take the time to check and be sure that I had
everything that I needed for the day. This is normally the last thing that I do
before leaving the house; spending an extra minute or two in order to make a mental
inventory check list and double check that I was ready for the day. No question
that I failed on this task.
As I was driving it hit me that God was trying to tell me
something. He wanted me to see that I needed to take the extra time and work
harder at making this Lent more fruitful in my life. God always desires us to learn
and grow from the different situations that we find ourselves in. This event
was indeed good for that God inspired purpose. So often we all get so caught up
in our daily lives we forget about putting God first. He knows full well where
our distractions come from, he also knows what it takes to get us to spend the
extra time that is needed to restore and grow in our relationship with him. For
on that day I found out it was forgotten items that gave me the blessing to
look at what was happening and see God at work in it. Telling me all along, “you
need to slow down and do not get so caught up in all the detractions around
you, but keep your heart and mind focused upon me.” From that moment on, I have
redoubled my efforts to make more room for God, to allow him to lead and guide
me this Lenten Season.
For some reason this reminds me of the passage in Exodus
when Israel is about to cross over the Red Sea and the people are complaining
to Moses because it looks like they are trapped by the Egyptians. But Moses
tells the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD,
which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you
shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be
still.” (14:13-14) They too, like so many of us, have to stop complaining, take
the needed time at the right moments, becoming still, learning to live on God’s
time, keeping his plan and not our own. Only by practicing this habit, will we
let God be fully and entirely at work in us. I could have been mad and angry by
what had happened that frustrating morning. But no, I looked upon it and tried to find out what
good could come from these disappointing events. Asking the great questions, “where
in all of this could I give God the glory? What can I learn from it that might
stop this problem from happening again?" When problems do confront us, and they surly
will. Let us not get caught up in complaining and trying to cast blame, but take
the time and stand back, try to hear and understand the small voice of the
mighty God whom we serve.
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