Summer seems to pass so quickly any more. As a child summer seemed endless. The trouble in those was not finding time to enjoy life; it was finding ways to fill the time. Today it seems as if the summer is over almost before it began. There are demands on our time coming from all directions. The hectic pace of our lives seems to start younger every year, I know seven year olds that have and appointment calendar so they won’t forget the practices, lessons and play dates they have lined up for them. If this is the way the lazy days of summer are now, it is small wonder we get a little nervous when September rolls around.

One area of our life that really suffers from this overwhelming business is our spirituality. It becomes one more thing we put on our calendar, that is, if we can find the time. Worship, an important part of our spiritual life is one thing that actually fits into our calendar driven lives. Yet worship cannot fill the needs of an intimate relationship any more than a concert can give us the time to get to know someone intimately. There isn’t much time to talk to one another, to get to truly know each other.

Developing a relationship with God can be doubly difficult. With another person we fall into a very comfortable mode of communication, simple conversation. IT is an easy give and take where we are able to truly explore who we really are and learn a great deal about the person we are with. It just doesn’t seem to work that way with God. So where can we find a place that it is possible to comfortably grow in our relationship with God? The first answer we always seem to get is prayer. But in our hectic culture sitting quietly by yourself and focusing of a God who often seems distant is an invitation to distraction. Probably the most common distraction is the calendar which tyrannizes our lives. Have I forgotten and appointment? Did I schedule two things at once? And just what time is the kid’s music lesson anyway? If that is not enough that kind of meditation makes time run funny. Have I been here for five minutes or a half an hour? And so we look at our watch every thirty seconds. It takes a particular kind of personality to deepen our relationship with God in that kind of prayer. So at that point most of us give up and accept a spiritual life that is much less than God wishes to give us. It is disappointing and with each day that passes God seems to become more and more distant.

So what is the answer? Actually the answer is to do what comes easiest; engage in conversation. Find a group of people and commit to seek God together. Read books that will deepen your faith life and discuss them, join a Bible study and actually discuss God’s own word. The gift in an avenue like this is that God is present and the kind of conversation we find so comfortable is the main way the group operates. In your conversation with your mind busy and focused on the things of God, wonderful revelations can take place in your spiritual life.

This kind of interaction is the way Jesus taught his disciples. They gathered together and discussed Jesus teachings, what does this parable mean Lord, or learned from the event life brought them. Why are the Pharisees so bent out of shape just because we ate a few grains of wheat? Once you have broken the ice in your relationship with God in a way that is comfortable who knows what depth God will ultimately lead you to.

So how do you start? Oddly enough it begins with our cultural nemesis the calendar. Look at all the offerings we have here at RLC, Bible studies, a women’s discussion group on Tuesday nights, a short discussion group between services and if these are not enough, ask me, for that kind of purpose I would be glad to add something to my calendar. All you have to do is sign up for the group and add it to your calendar.

As we start this new program year this September, add God to your calendar.

Pastor Jim Bliss
September 2008