Paying Attention to the Clay Vessel

 

Yesterday, I invited you to slow down and savor moments in the clay vessel of your life.  I am curious, what did you notice?  Did you taste the sweetness of your cereal?  Did you notice a flower in your neighborhood that you had been walking past in a flurry and scurry of life?  Did you see the others on the zoom call more clearly?  This prayer practice of the being present to the mystery of your life is one that has been part of the Christian tradition for centuries.  Years ago, Brother Lawrence wrote a book called, “Practicing the Presence of God.”  In that book he wrote these words,

My God, you are always close to me. In obedience to you, I must now apply myself to outward things. Yet, as I do, I pray that you will give me the grace of your presence. And to this end I ask that you will assist my work, receive its fruits as an offering to you, and all the while direct all my affections to you.

Notice how Brother Lawrence begins with an affirmation that God is as close as your next breath.  God with you, around us, before, beside, and behind you.  No matter where you are, God is there.  Next, Brother Lawrence names that we have tasks and things to do today.  We don’t just have to sit quietly and meditate for hours on end. Maybe you have appointments or assignments or getting ready to lead worship on Sunday!  Brother Lawrence is clear that no matter what we do, we can engage in that activity as an offering to God.  Pause with me to consider how going to a meeting or doctor’s appointment or calling a friend or running the bulletin or composing an email ~ what you do today is an offering to God.  How might that shape the way you approach your to-do list?  Do you sense any resistance to this?  Sometimes we can devalue what we do.  “Oh, this isn’t important, just washing the dishes.”  It is that very act of washing dishes, Brother Lawrence would say is as an act of worship.  That in the warm water of our sinks we can remember our baptism, that in the soapy suds we can playfully be child-like in our enjoyment of God, and that in cleaning dishes to be used we are offering a gift to others for future meals.  How might today be an offering to God, others, and let loose God’s love through your life?  I pray this question would infuse the clay vessel of your lift to offer the treasure of you being you ~ created in God’s image and God’s beloved ~ to the glory of God. Amen.