Considering the Important Stuff
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
The moon and the stars you have set on their courses,
What is humankind that you should be mindful of us?”
--Psalm 8: 4, 5
If you consider the works of God’s creation for 15 brief minutes a day, you too will probably wonder, “Why is God so mindful of me?” Enjoy discovering answers to this question.
Today we continue our thoughts about the significance of creation. We are part of a cosmic community. The Creator who set all time and space in motion created us in community with the rest of the cosmos. Spending time meditating on this thought can really be empowering. Here is a little story from the life of St. Francis, who spent time praying with the little creatures:
When Francis was hurrying across the Lake of Rieti to the hermitage
of Greccio, out of devotion a fisherman offered him a waterfowl. He
took it gladly and opened his hands to let it go, but it did not want to. He prayed for a long time with his eyes turned to heaven. After more than an hour, he came back to himself and gently told the bird again to go away and praise God. Having received his permission with a blessing, the bird expressed its joy in the movements of its body, and flew away.
It may be difficult to take tales like this seriously. The problem is probably ours, however. Realizing the integrity and sacredness of creation opens new dimensions for our spiritual life and our devotional disciplines. We are a small, small part of a splendid work. Thanks to God for all of creation.
Prayer: Holy God, slow me down enough so that in stillness I can discover. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.09.09
Showing posts with label important question. Show all posts
Showing posts with label important question. Show all posts
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Daily Devotions - Thursday, January 8
What Is The Important Stuff?
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
The moon and the stars you have set on their courses,
What is humankind that you should be mindful of us?”
--Psalm 8: 4, 5
The question posed in this Psalm is an interesting question, don't you think? It is a question worthy of exploration and dialog. The writer recognizes both how insignificant he/she is and how profoundly privileged he/she is. The question should cause us to realize just how skewed our vision can become.
Somehow we get stuck, thinking we are the center of the universe. Our affluence can cause us to miss enjoying simple things. We take little time focusing on the biggest picture because we are trying to create a big picture of our own. A collection of objects from nature—stones, feathers, pinecones, a flower, blades of grass—can really help us in our spiritual development. Taking 15 minutes of your day to simply be with an object and allow it to “tell its story” can truly be a meaningful way of getting in touch with our own “infinite smallness.” Taking time with the surroundings of nature that have been around forever can give us new perspectives about the plastic we use to purchase plastic things.
Consider the works of God’s creation for 15 brief minutes a day and you too will probably wonder, “Why is God so mindful of me?” Enjoy discovering the answer to this important question.
Prayer: Holy God, slow me down enough so that in stillness I can discover. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.08.09
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
The moon and the stars you have set on their courses,
What is humankind that you should be mindful of us?”
--Psalm 8: 4, 5
The question posed in this Psalm is an interesting question, don't you think? It is a question worthy of exploration and dialog. The writer recognizes both how insignificant he/she is and how profoundly privileged he/she is. The question should cause us to realize just how skewed our vision can become.
Somehow we get stuck, thinking we are the center of the universe. Our affluence can cause us to miss enjoying simple things. We take little time focusing on the biggest picture because we are trying to create a big picture of our own. A collection of objects from nature—stones, feathers, pinecones, a flower, blades of grass—can really help us in our spiritual development. Taking 15 minutes of your day to simply be with an object and allow it to “tell its story” can truly be a meaningful way of getting in touch with our own “infinite smallness.” Taking time with the surroundings of nature that have been around forever can give us new perspectives about the plastic we use to purchase plastic things.
Consider the works of God’s creation for 15 brief minutes a day and you too will probably wonder, “Why is God so mindful of me?” Enjoy discovering the answer to this important question.
Prayer: Holy God, slow me down enough so that in stillness I can discover. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.08.09
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