In a classic scene from the movie Terminator, the protagonist proclaims to a woman being hunted by a deadly Arnold Schwarzenegger character, "Come with me if you want to live." I couldn't help but think of that line as I read one of this week's spiritual meditations from the book, Pauses for Lent. Only, the message I heard was, "Ignore me if you want to live."
Pauses for Lent gives me a word each day to focus on and a simple spiritual discipline to practice. Monday's word was "still" and the practice was not to listen to anything in the car. Psalm 46:10 inspired it: "Be still, and know that I am God!" Of course, 1 Kings 19 could have also inspired it. There, Elijah doesn't encounter God until he encounters silence. Or, Luke 4 could also have inspired it. It says Jesus spent 40 days alone in the wilderness preparing for his ministry. There's also Luke 5:16 that says Jesus would "withdraw to deserted places and pray." Certain encounters with God require silence.
I hated turning off my radio and audio book and podcasts on Monday while I drove. I like distractions, entertainment, and learning new things. Yet sure enough I found myself far more open to the presence of God without those distractions.
And God is the source of life (John 1:4), the one through whom we live forever (1 John 5:11), and the one who gives us a full and abundant life here and now (John 10:10).
If I want true life, I need silence. I need to see in my imagination or maybe in real life a Post-It note on my cell phone that says, "Ignore me if you want to live." I need one on my laptop that says, "Ignore me if you want to live." I need a reminder on my car radio that says, "Ignore me if you want to live." How about you? What distractions surround you that need a reminder, "Ignore me if you want to live"?
Take a moment or two right now and ignore me. Put down whatever you're reading this on and open yourself to the presence of God.
I encourage you to find other ways this weekend and in the coming week intentionally to ignore things that demand attention and crowd out the silence where you can encounter God.
On Sunday at Access we'll lean a bit more towards filling the silence than creating it, but that's ok, because God also has special ways of meeting us in worship that we don't find elsewhere. This Sunday I'll be preaching about the "holy ground" of forgiveness. Think of someone that's struggling to forgive someone or to forgive themselves, and invite them to worship with you. I'll offer encouragement and some practical tips around forgiveness.
See you Sunday!
Rich
Rich Rindfuss
Access Pastor
First United Methodist Church Richardson