Slowing down to listen

Hello, WTUC Family.

I hope that you have enjoyed the first week of February. It certainly has turned colder even though Japan has just finished observing Setsubun this past Sunday, which is the last day of winter in Japan before spring starts the next day. I hope that you are taking precautions from the cold, both in terms of the weather and in terms of your health. I’ve observed so many folks around me who are getting ill, and so as you take care of your own health, pray for our church community and your neighbors for their health, protection, and recovery for those who are not well.

I have been taking some time this week in the midst of a pretty hectic schedule to reflect upon our changing world. Depending on what stage of life you are in, you may feel like the pace of life has changed. I am part of the last generation that experienced life before the spread of the Internet - particularly to the point where it is always around, right in the palm of our hands. What took time to connect with people now is possible in an instant. What seemed difficult for us to stay in touch has now become a bit too easy. And yet, the dizzy pace of life, both in our access to information and the bombardment of messages and social media feeds has forced us to think too quickly and not have a chance to slow down.

I remember back during one of my seminary classes on spiritual formation an exercise that was particularly meaningful. It was an opportunity for us to just slow down. We were told to silence our phones, close our computers, and just head outside. If there was a park nearby, or a quiet solitary place, we were encouraged to go there. And there, we were encouraged to just sit quietly, observing the nature around us and contemplating upon what God has created. There were constant desires to check our phone or to think about our next projects, but we were to put those aside and just listen. For me, it took almost an hour to just unplug from the pressure of getting my schedule in order. I am almost certain that if you tried this exercise for the first time, it would take a significant amount of time before you could just let go. It happens to all of us.

God wants us to be able to hear from Him. That requires us to be able to listen, which means finding ways to turn down the volume and slow down the busy lives that we lead - long enough to be able to meditate on what the Lord has to say through His Word. If you can make some time to do so, let me encourage you to slow down so that you can listen. I have had a good opportunity this week to reflect upon this once again, and I am grateful since it has allowed me to think about more of how God would like for me to better serve you.

In terms of what’s coming up on Sunday, we will be gathering online for our worship service! Rev. Dr. Jim Sack will be preaching. You can find the details, including the bulletin, hymn insert, and Zoom link on this Sunday’s service page here.

I hope that you have a wonderful rest of the week! Blessings to you.
Jonathan