Advent Journey - Day 11
Every journey needs time for rest and refreshment. It's one of the reasons I love this gift of the season of Advent, it's an intentional time of reflection, of pausing before the great celebration of Incarnation that we call Christmas.
In Western Culture we have 'glorified busy' - many work long hours, often in order to buy or own more, sometimes just to try and keep the bills paid and their family fed, clothed, and homed. We are encouraged to do more, to have more, to fill our lives with distractions.
Into this speaks what our Scripture calls 'A still, small, voice' or, in one translation, 'the sound of absolute stillness.' How often do we take time to pause, and allow ourselves to be refreshed for our ongoing journey. How often are we able to stop and listen for the whisper of the Spirit telling us 'you are loved, you are enough'?
In the Gospels Jesus speaks to the storm and says 'Peace, be still.'. Perhaps we need to heed that and allow Christ to still the storms within and around us that we might find the strength we need to continue.
Poem - Leisure by W H Davies
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?-
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Image credits:
AdventJourney photo: Morning mystic - Casey Horner on Unsplash