Photo by Merianna Neely Harrelson
When EA and I were dating, it took me awhile to learn how to walk with her. I'm about a foot taller than her which means my stride is a good deal longer than hers. On top of that, my typical goal in walking is to get where I'm going as fast as I can. I don't know if that's because I'm a runner or it says something about a lack of patience or what. Regardless, I walk places quickly.
One time, EA and I were walking on campus and I was pulling ahead. I don't remember if slowed down of my own volition or if EA asked me to, but the next thing that I said was, "Sorry. I guess I'm in Point A to Point B mode." This girl who has become my best friend and wife smiled and me and said, "How about you be in Point EA mode?"
We don't normally do a good job of being present. There is always something comping up around the corner. Or there might be something in the past of which we can't quite let go. We're preoccupied. We rush around. Watch people when you walk around and you'll most likely see folks staring down at their phones; pinballing between texts, Instagram, games, & whatever else. We hardly ever just walk.
Psalm 46:10 says: "Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." It may seem odd for me to bring up stillness as I have been talking about walking, but I think we can agree that the stillness of which the psalmist is speaking is spiritual rather than physical. In fact, part of our problem in American society is that we are too often still in body but little else.
So my encouragement as you are in the middle of this weekend is to take some time to be still. Instead of being Point A to Point B, be Point God. Instead of distracting yourself in a litany of ways, take time to reflect on your faith, notice the people and things around you that remind you of God. Think of ways in which you can be still each day. God is in the ordinary of our days and not just in those "spiritual" activities of church, reading scripture, and prayer. Take time in your walk to be Point God.