Life can be complex—mine is especially so, lately. I’ve been traveling here and there, speaking and training and writing and being awarded grants for creating things that are very important—or so I had thought. But what is really important in life? When the invitations cease and the attention fades away what am I left with? I’m left with feelings of unimportance and insignificance, maybe even failure. And I’m feeling that way today…
This morning, as I was driving out to my favorite park for my monthly half day of prayer, where I try to re-focus my life, my phone chimed in with yet another post from GODencounters and this is what I read:
I am done with great things and big plans, great institutions and big success. I am for those tiny, invisible loving human forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, which, if given time, will rend the hardest monuments of pride.
–William James, at Younger Generation Church
This thought captivated my imagination and saturated my consciousness as I walked into the Japanese garden where I love to meet with my Jesus. I pondered these thoughts and soon I felt my discouragements and doubts began to lift, allowing a peace to subtly descend into my soul. Suddenly, hopeful thoughts began to mingle with the beauty of the park in springtime.
Upon leaving my office to come here this morning something told me to grab the camera from my desk and bring it along for the morning’s journey. As I walked into the garden I began to focus my lens on the simple things of life around me—the beauty and love displayed by my creator God—the things He created just for me to enjoy on this particular morning of this particular day. Yes, I believe He had me in mind when this pond was dredged, and these flowers and shrubs were planted beneath these trees that had sprung up without human assistance so many years ago.
For an hour or more I focused my life, narrowed it down, to the things of nature that I could fit into the viewfinder on my Canon. As I snapped shot after shot I felt the creativity of the Creator within me and we experienced communion that cannot be found in the hustle and bustle of busyness and the work of building things bigger and better. With the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit I was able to release the world and let it go for a few moments in time. I felt peace and communion with the One who loves me like no one else can. He is the One I need.
Thank you, Jesus. My day will be better now and my life will be fuller as I re-focus on the simpler, more satisfying things of life like family, beauty and love…
About the Author
Scott R. Ward is a husband and father of two daughters and a son. Scott is also a Youth Pastor and the Public High School Ministries Coordinator for the NAD. Scott loves helping people learn to nurture their devotional lives and challenging them reach out to the world around them by Living their faith. Scott’s first book on the devotional life, Authentic: Committed for Life, is due out August 2012 from Review and Herald Publishing Association.
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