Pastor’s Message – August 14, 2018

Waiting for Water to Boil

While my one-cup coffee maker is my go-to for coffee and tea most days, I still have an affection for the stovetop kettle. When I take the time to boil the water and wait nearby, those few minutes I would spend in a rush to get things done become a time to be still and wait.

In the grand scheme of a 24-hour day, waiting for water to boil only takes a few minutes. Why did I need to hurry through even a few minutes of each day, when they could be a time of rich conversation with friends on the phone, at the table, or with the Lord? Boiling water on a stovetop can be dangerous because we’re dealing with extreme heat that left unattended can lead to destruction. The key word is “unattended.” In our refusals to wait and to be still, to fill every moment of every day with activity, our souls become unattended. Our relationships with God long for tending. The Living Water and Fire of Pentecost whistle to us to be still, to slow down, and to pay attention.

In waiting and being still before God, we may also wonder, “What’s the point?” We are a society driven by quick results and efficiency. The kingdom of God, though, is a place of slow miracles that change us not with the end result but in the the process of being “filled with the Spirit.” This Sunday we will learn more about being “filled with the Spirit” from Ephesians 5 — and making the most of our time well spent in God’s presence!

all good things to each of you,
Pastor Darian

*These newsletter reflections are often shorter versions of my weekly blog. Visit www.darianduckworth.com/musings to read the longer stories!*

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 19, 2018:
2 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14
Psalm 111
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58

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