Skip to main content

And Not Quite Rebalanced

Last time I wrote about how swimming helps me to rebalance.  As I swim back and forth, alone with my thoughts, I often think or pray and feel rebalanced when I’m done.  Well, except for a recent time….

This time, I was totally distracted.  I had inadvertently left my goggles at work.  I do carry a new pair with me in my swim bag in case my old ones break.  So I took them out but it took a lot of swimming time just to get them adjusted to fit properly.  So much for rebalancing!

You could say that I was distracted by all the goggle challenges.  I think I also failed at something mentioned in 2 Corinthians.  In chapter 10 and verse 5, we are told that we should take every thought captive to obey Christ.  I was so distracted by trying to get my goggles to fit that I wasn’t taking any thoughts captive to obey Christ. 

You could even say that I was kind of acting like Martha.  You probably remember her from Luke 10.  She was distracted with lots of preparations.  She even said this to Jesus: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” (v. 40)

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.” (v. 41-42)

Mary had chosen to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen to Him and enjoy Him.  But Martha was unable to enjoy Jesus because she was distracted (or pulled away) by the preparations.  And, when Jesus said she was troubled, it was the kind of troubled that borders on being upset.

Yep, that kind of describes what I was feeling with my new goggles.  I was pulled away from my normal ability to think and pray and I was upset to the point that all I could do was focus on my goggle challenges. 

When I got back to the office, I did send my wife my standard text code that said “rebalanced”.

But, while I had returned to the office, I was nowhere close to being rebalanced.  Due to my goggle distractions, I hadn’t been at the feet of Jesus as I sometimes am when I swim.

I must confess that I’m really struggling to bring this post to a close.  I should have some pithy thought or nugget of wisdom or stimulating question for you.  But, I can’t seem to stir up any of that.

I will say that somehow, in the midst of my distractions and being troubled, I need to respond to Christ’s invitation and sit at His feet.

And I also will say that somehow, in the midst of my distractions and being troubled, I need to invite Him in enter into those with me so that He can take care of them.

After all, it’s only in His presence that the rebalancing I so desperately need can occur!

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can't Get No Satisfaction

One of the songs that were popular in my youth was not particularly upbeat or helpful but it probably did express some of the angst of my generation.  It was not one that particularly resonated with me but as I recently read the book of Haggai, it did come to mind, well, at least some of the lyrics did.  It was the Rolling Stones song with the lyrics “I can’t get no satisfaction”.  Take a look at the chorus of that bleak song:   I can't get no satisfaction; I can't get no satisfaction; Gonna try and I try and I try and I try; I can't get no - I can't get no –   Now take a look at Haggai 1:6 – “ You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” It sure sounds like the people of Judah couldn’t get any satisfaction with the things of life that normally should have brought some type of s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hide Not...

Over the centuries, the words have brought great comfort and encouragement.   The words are often used as a benediction or a blessing:   The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.   (Num 6:24-26)   What in the world is a countenance?  By definition, it is a person's face or facial expression. So if the Lord’s face shines upon us and if He lifts up His countenance upon us, what does all that mean? It means that He is giving us His attention.  But even more so, His face shining upon us gives us t he picture of a beaming face like that of a parent for their beloved child.  And the reference to Him lifting up His countenance points to God extending divine favor and peace to us. Sometimes we can appreciate things more by seeing opposites.  The opposite of a lifted face is a face that has fallen, perhaps because of sham...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Fewer, the Better and the Simpler, the Better!

Sometimes, the fewer the words, the better…  Many would probably argue that the most important words in the English language, when strung altogether in the right order, are just three simple words.  And each of those three words is just a one syllable word.  So, not only the fewer the better but also, as a bonus, the simpler, the better! Oh, the three words…they are “I love you” – few, simple and altogether meaningful!      God used them to encourage His people, the people of Israel :  “You are priceless to me. I love you and honor you. So I will trade other people for you. I will give up other nations to save your lives.” (Isa 43:4) The significance of the words “I love you” is inestimable, especially when used in a way that communicates value and commitment And when you look at Jeremiah 31:3, you see a past tense of those words so that “I love you” is “I have loved you”.  But that’s not all that the verse says, the “I have loved y...
Post a Comment
Read more