Slow Down & Celebrate the Son-rise!

     Every January, I have a few friends who prayerfully select a word to serve as a spiritual touchstone through the year ahead.  This year I decided to give it a try, but rather than choosing a single word I felt drawn to a phrase - “Trust in the slow work of God” from a beloved prayer by Teillhard de Chardin.

     I chose these words, in part, because of a little health scare I had last fall. As I rearranged plans, cut back on activities and underwent medical tests, I tried to remember to slow down and “trust in the slow work of God.”  Fortunately, it ended up being much ado about nothing.  The doctor concluded that I was doing too much and the stress was affecting my health. When I commented on the irony that what I do for a living is help people slow down and find spiritual balance in their lives, I will never forget his response… “Often we teach what we most need to learn."

     Throughout Lent, I have been slowly learning how to “give up” the societal myth that we need to do more in order to prove our worth.  Instead, I seek to embrace the resurrection promise that everlasting life is not based on how much we do, but simply on who we are - beloved children of the living God.  That is enough.  You are enough.  I am enough.  This Easter, may we trust in the slow work of God and celebrate the Son-rise!