Saturday, March 07, 2009

slowing down

I find myself overly busy now with a project I need to get done, and other things I want to do. Too many things, too little time! Add to that, we lose an hour this weekend, for Daylight Saving Time.

Unlike some who are gifted and can go through a book in no time with good comprehension, I do best taking my time. Sifting, thinking, pondering, continuing to read. Some of us are wired to keep asking questions and search. Though I think on a certain level this is part of the dynamic God wants for all of his children in this life. And surely in a manner having both continuity and discontinuity in the next as well.

I think we do well to slow down in what we do. I remember one of my favorite people I've had the privilege to meet and get to know a little: Dr. Ted Rendall. He was the Pastor of Prairie Tabernacle and President of Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada when I attended there.

One time I visited him in his office. He told me he was a few months behind in work that needed to be done, yet he wasn't rushed at all while talking to me. He listened well, and talked with deliberation, just the opposite of being in a hurry. And our time was most helpful for me.

I imagine Dr. Rendall was behind in large part because he was so gifted and was an example of following Christ, to all. But Dr. Rendall had within him a sense of not being in a hurry, of doing what he had to do well, to God's glory.

I never remember one class or sermon which was not stimulating and interesting, and all he did seemed to have the blessing of God on it. I remember him for a number of things (like humility, speaking the truth in love, and "life"). And one of them was that he never came across as being in a hurry.

I find this in Jesus as well. He seemed to be on God's time, not on people's. Of course living in this world requires living on the same cycles as the rest of humankind. But how we live them is what's important.

Does this mean I should never be in a hurry? I have to be sometimes at work. But I'm learning to slow down and seek in that to be in time more with God. Something I know so little about, but I think related to the moving of the Spirit and God's leading in our lives. As well as walking by the Spirit.

Does anyone want to add to these ponderings?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"He listened well, and talked with deliberation"

this part spoke to me.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,

Yes. Me too.

Ted M. Gossard said...

I must say this post is serving me well. I'm forced to practice it over a project I'm on, out of necessity, despite pressure to get it done. And a good lesson for me to keep growing in this area of my life.