There are a couple of big questions on the minds of many people: Do I or don't I get the vaccination? And if I am going to get the vaccination, when? The question becomes more complex when a person is frail for one reason or another. Then there is the matter of believing in the science and the medical practitioners offering the cure. Do I wait for a while to see what the issues/side effects are or do I trust in the science and go ahead?
While fear is at the root of these questions, whether you accept the solution offered or not, your fate is ultimately determined by your personal choice. In much the same way, the deadliest virus of all time has but one cure and your fate is determined by your choice.
The good news is we have a vaccination. A vaccination which, like the ones offered for COVID, allows the user to experience some aspects of the disease without the fatal consequences. The vaccination is the repenting of your old lifestyle and the acceptance of the new one with Jesus. A process for some is like the sting of the needle of the other vaccinations that soon fades and requires only a regular booster to keep someone protected. These vaccination boosters are what we call our Christian values.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”
Therefore, we need to conscientiously develop our way of interacting with the world so as to to alert others to the vaccination that comes from recognizing the universal reign of God through Jesus. In applying the rhythms of Christian life, we are propelled outward, beyond ourselves, into the lives of others so we get to share the benefits of the vaccination with others.
The third booster comes in the form of listening to others. By listening to others in Christ's name we not only demonstrate God’s love, we stave off the potential effects of the virus of this life: namely sin.
I remember a story by a good friend about a point in his life when he was really busy. It was causing real problems at home. He had a good wife, a son and daughter. One night his wife came to him to tell him that she was tired of being a single mom and their son (nine) and daughter (three) needed more time with him. A heated discussion ensued with phrases and accusations about money, spending and time. However, the point was made. The father begrudgingly took a day off to be with his son and daughter. He took his son out fishing and dropped him off at school late. It was a good morning. He picked up his daughter and they went on a brunch date. He thought it was really good until his daughter grabbed his phone, put it on the booth seat and grabbed his face and said, “Daddy listen to me.” The moment rocked his world. He remembered his wife saying to him “even when he was physically in the room, he wasn’t present.” Later that day, his son asked if he would make it to his baseball game later in the week. It was as if time had stopped. He heard a voice in the deep recess of his mind say,
“The first duty of love is to listen.” –Paul Tillich
It was in that moment, he realized he had not been listening to anyone other than his own fears of not having enough and losing what he had. He had strayed from the relationships he said matter: God, family and friends. He had become the hypocrite who talked of love and spent his time elsewhere. In truth, it was laziness because real listening requires turning everything else off and focusing.
1 Sam 3 read and review
Listening is one of the main five habits we need to develop as representatives of the most high. The first place we need to listen to is God. When we listen to Him, we are better equipped to hear others. However, listening begins with a commitment to hear the Holy Spirit and act accordingly. True listening to others comes from the deep recesses of our soul.
Bruce Demarest writes in his book Satisfy Your Soul, “ a quieted heart is our best preparation for all this work for God… Meditation refocuses us from ourselves and from the world so that we reflect on God’s word, His nature, His abilities and His works… so we prayerfully ponder, muse, and “chew” the words of scripture...The goal is simply to permit the Holy Spirit to activate the life-giving Word of God.” (p.133)
I’ve had a number of mentors throughout my life. I give them carte blanche to say anything to me and to direct my actions. One morning I was having breakfast with one when he told me I needed to pray AND meditate. I asked what the difference was. He said praying is telling God what you want and meditating is listening to what God wants. The more you listen the less you will ask for. He then challenged me to six weeks of listening to God. I was to get up early before everyone else, find a place in the home, sit still for as long as it took to hear God. I asked, how will I know? He said that question proves his point of why I needed to do it. I went on the journey. The first day I listened to my ears hum for 3 minutes and it felt like an hour. I would fall asleep. Have my legs cramp up. I would add scripture to chant and words. By the end of 6 weeks, I would be able to sit before the lord for 40 minutes and feel like it was a minute.
The learning process also had other unintended consequences. I became a more loving, accepting and gentle person. I found the serenity my life lacked and it allowed me to truly hear those around me.
Thomas Merton once said, “ it is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brothers… Solitude and silence teach me to love my brothers for who they are, not for what they say.”
(pg. 8, A year with Thomas Merton)
Listening is so important to stave off the effects of the virus. However, the type of listening I am referring to entails listening to God first and foremost. To truly listen, we must
Set time aside to connect with God. I am talking about a protected period of time on your calendar to be alone with God. You choose the time but make it a weekly ritual.
Find the place you connect needs to be away from the hustle of your life. Eliminate as many distractions as possible.
Enjoy God’s presence. I often hear people say, “I tried prayer, meditation and solitude and it didn’t work.” I get it. If you approach it as a time before a genie here you ask three wishes then the benefit may be lost. It’s about spending time with God. It’s just sitting in his presence letting his love, power and goodness come upon you.
Follow God’s promptings. The Spirit might bring to mind the name of the face of a person, a place, an activity or an image. The Spirit might convict you of an ongoing sin that you need to rid yourself of. It might encourage you to re-engage with someone, search out an idea. The prompting will come with a sense of peace, joy, love and or hope. It will seem “right.”
For example, over a month ago now, the Spirit of the Lord impressed on me the need to discuss all the losses of COVID because as we begin to re-engage with the world, many will begin to grieve. A I sat listening, I wondered about presenting the topic and when. It impressed on my spirit that I was not supposed to teach but Jennifer was.
So I invite her forward to teach us about grief and loss.
