Last night, Samantha and I were out and about in Fort Wayne in the evening enjoying some Christmas festivities. At one point we were between two events, and as I stood outside the car as she leaned back in to get something, I saw an incredibly bright meteor shooting across the sky for what seemed like 10 seconds. It was an awesome thing to see, but in spite of me quickly and repeatedly shouting “SAM! SAM!” she missed it.
I wonder how many people missed it the night Jesus was born?
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own stuff, wrapped up in our own heads or hearts, and totally miss what God might be doing around us. I just happened to be looking in just the right direction to see the shooting star last night, and I’m sure I’ve missed more of them than I have seen. In the same way, I’m sure that I miss many of the peaceful moments God has planned for me. It isn’t always something I’ve done wrong, but just looking the wrong way at the wrong time can keep me from seeing something special.
So how do we make sure we are not missing those moments?
I’m not sure that we can be sure to avoid missing those moments. Each one could be totally different from every other one we have experienced. I think we just have to make some sort of effort to stay open to what God might be trying to show us, but not always make it a regimented and strictly structured thing all the time. Structure is good, and it can be a great way for us to learn regularly, but I guarantee you that no one was expecting a choir of angels to show up that night near Bethlehem.
On the other hand, the Bible tells us of the Maji, who because of their diligent and structured study, knew from the stars that something world changing had happened, and they pursued that event at great cost to themselves. So structure certainly isn’t to be frowned on.
As often happens with these posts, I don’t really have a great life illuminating concept to pass on to you right now, but I can share my thoughts, as I wrestle with this concept of peace. And perhaps more so every year, I wrestle with how God chooses to reveal it to me.
How has God revealed truth to you in the past? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your story.
Be sure to check out the other people on the journey with me at 254peace.org, or on our Facebook page. There are some awesome people participating this year, and they all have something important to say.