It’s been one of those weeks: Seems like — even though I’ve been putting in my hours (and then some) every day, my “to do list” has been getting longer, rather than shorter, all week long. So I was intrigued to discover that the Holy Spirit chose to have me cross paths with a selection from Psalm 90 on Friday morning — the perfect reflection for someone who’s inclined to believe there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
“My” time didn’t seem adequate to the task at any point this week. I didn’t get anywhere near the finish line with my “important” projects over the past couple of days. And at the apex of my frustration yesterday morning, I read this:
Psalm 90
O Lord, you have been our refuge,
from generation to generation.
Before the mountains were born,
Or the world or the earth were brought forth,
You are God from age to age.
So the thought occurred to me: Who am I…to be frustrated with the amount of time I have been allotted this day, this week? Who am I, to take my “important” projects so seriously? Or to gaze so ungratefully upon the moments God sets before me?
As it turned out, the Holy Spirit (and the Psalmist) weren’t quite finished with me after those opening verses…
You turn man back to dust,
and say, “Return, O children of men.”
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
or like a watch in the night.
Oddly, when I settled on those words — when I set my gaze on eternal things, just for a moment — it took the edge off my temporal frustrations.
The deadlines are still there, sure — looming like the sword of Damocles in the days ahead. But somehow, they don’t seem quite so imposing in the presence of the great I AM.
So my prayer today is this: ‘Help me, Lord, to truly BE present to the people…the challenges…the moments You send my way today. Let me embrace them fully and lovingly — before they, too, are come and gone. Amen.’
Let us pause now…to remember that we are in the presence of the Holy One.
With Us Still 
I couldn’t have said it any better……. I had one of those weeks too, folks asking for help all around me and not enough time for me to help, which I love to do.
Thank you for these words. They hit home and cause me to step back and look at the big picture.
ybiC,
Tom
My pleasure, Tom. That’s what brothers-in-Christ are for, right? To help each other keep things in perspective!
Brother John
We are one week out from our ACTS Toledo retreat, and I thank you for your letter! Your posts are good for me to stop and reflect, to catch my breath with the rat race we are in with the secular world.
The St. Louis and Louisville men were awesome, and we are already planning our November Men’s retreat. If you feel the call please consider joining us John.
I also appreciate your devotion to prison ministry, as it is one I am contemplating here too. We can catch up via email on this subject.
God’s Blessing to you, John and your family.
Joe Koerper
Thanks for your kind words, Joe — and it’s great to hear the report from your first ACTS retreat in Toledo! Sounds like you guys are off to a Spirit-filled start at Little Flower. You can count on my continued prayers to bless that work…and as for serving on the next team in November, well…you never know!
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I was feeling the same way. Too many deadlines. Too much stress. God has a way of getting our attention eh? Thank you!
Amen, Colleen!