One thing I remember so vividly from my days on the Race is the appreciation of sunrises and sunsets. Most mornings I would rise while it was still dark, slip out of my bed (or sleeping bag), tiptoe out the door (or gate or tent), and sit, silently awaiting the golden orange rays to break up the dark sky. There were almost as many evenings spent walking back to wherever it was that we happened to be living, watching the sky go from a clear blue to an explosion of cotton candied colors, a visual feast for our tired eyes.
It didn't matter which country we were in, each day held a new beginning, and ended with yet another display of God's glory and majesty.
I've seen a handful of sunsets (and even fewer sunrises) since hitting the States, and they seem to be strangely devoid of the supernatural power that the ones on the Race had. For months, I assumed it was because America wasn't as beautiful as some of the countries we visited, but then I remember what those countries were like, and I realize that can't be it. Maybe it's because the other countries were so messy that the sunrises were a fabulous backdrop, but then I look out my window and see a messy city beyond my window.
Maybe, I realize, when I actually take a minute to ponder it, it's because I was so desperate for the Lord those days. Maybe it's because I needed the reminder that He was there. Maybe it's because I took my time to find Him, instead of filling myself with every distraction I can find.
America is no better or worse than any other country, but oh my- this place is busy. There's no such thing as down time, or quiet time, or any time- any moment not spent in meaningful activity is quickly swept into waste, whether it's online, on a phone, or changing channels. It doesn't matter if I'm busy or not, I can't go thirty seconds without something occupying my immediate attention.
Tonight, in a desperate attempt to get out, I took the keys, jumped in the car, and started driving. I didn't know where I was going, and while I had called a few people "to talk," no one seemed available. So all I could do was wander the streets of San Diego, searching for anything that would leave me feeling slightly less empty than I had become.
The first thing I saw was the sunset, and it was the same sunset that I had missed these last few months being home.
Yes, it was slightly obscured by random buildings and highways that I couldn't seem to get to stay west. Yes, there was traffic and noise and smog. But still, that sunset was there.
Right before I launched, another Racer told me, "don't forget in the darkness what you knew in the light."
Don't forget about the sunsets because of the glow of a computer screen.
Don't walk away from the words of the Lord because of the vibrations of a cell phone.
Don't forget the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever just because one of those days seemed off.
Don't settle for what is, in light of what could be.
Stop chasing the sunsets, and run toward the dawn.
It didn't matter which country we were in, each day held a new beginning, and ended with yet another display of God's glory and majesty.
I've seen a handful of sunsets (and even fewer sunrises) since hitting the States, and they seem to be strangely devoid of the supernatural power that the ones on the Race had. For months, I assumed it was because America wasn't as beautiful as some of the countries we visited, but then I remember what those countries were like, and I realize that can't be it. Maybe it's because the other countries were so messy that the sunrises were a fabulous backdrop, but then I look out my window and see a messy city beyond my window.
Maybe, I realize, when I actually take a minute to ponder it, it's because I was so desperate for the Lord those days. Maybe it's because I needed the reminder that He was there. Maybe it's because I took my time to find Him, instead of filling myself with every distraction I can find.
America is no better or worse than any other country, but oh my- this place is busy. There's no such thing as down time, or quiet time, or any time- any moment not spent in meaningful activity is quickly swept into waste, whether it's online, on a phone, or changing channels. It doesn't matter if I'm busy or not, I can't go thirty seconds without something occupying my immediate attention.
Tonight, in a desperate attempt to get out, I took the keys, jumped in the car, and started driving. I didn't know where I was going, and while I had called a few people "to talk," no one seemed available. So all I could do was wander the streets of San Diego, searching for anything that would leave me feeling slightly less empty than I had become.
The first thing I saw was the sunset, and it was the same sunset that I had missed these last few months being home.
Yes, it was slightly obscured by random buildings and highways that I couldn't seem to get to stay west. Yes, there was traffic and noise and smog. But still, that sunset was there.
Right before I launched, another Racer told me, "don't forget in the darkness what you knew in the light."
Don't forget about the sunsets because of the glow of a computer screen.
Don't walk away from the words of the Lord because of the vibrations of a cell phone.
Don't forget the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever just because one of those days seemed off.
Don't settle for what is, in light of what could be.
Stop chasing the sunsets, and run toward the dawn.
No comments:
Post a Comment