Our three mile an hour God

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: Live long, live well”

Our Bible verse for today: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Our three mile an hour God”

Several years ago, renowned Japanese theologian Koske Koyama wrote a great little book about the frantic pace of life in western civilization these days. The title was “Three mile an hour God.” The title reflects the fact that the average healthy adult human, walking at a relaxed pace on a level surface, travels at approximately three miles an hour. Koyama makes the case that God walks with us through life at our pace. He doesn’t push us to frantically rush through life at twice our normal pace. Instead, He walks with us, at a normal and relaxed pace – roughly three miles an hour.

However, the pace of our highly driven, technologically oriented, high-octane civilization does push us to move much faster than is natural or good for us. Koyama’s conclusion is that we all need to slow down for our own good and that God wants us to slow down (for our own good).

One of the common traits shared by those in the geographic Blue Zones who live long and well is that they have a calm and serene countenance and they live life at a relaxed pace. Dan Buettner reports, “People who’ve made it to 100 seem to exude a sense of sublime serenity. Part of it is that their bodies naturally slow down as they have aged, but they’re also wise enough to know that many of life’s most precious moments pass us by if we’re lurching blindly toward some goal.”

Dan tells of one encounter he had with a lady who was 107 years old but still sharp, active, and feisty. When Dan asked her if she had any advice for today’s busy young people she immediately replied, “Yes! Life is short. Don’t run so fast that you miss it.”

In Psalm 46:10 God calls us to carve out time to simply sit quietly before Him and contemplate the truth that He is God, and you are not. Psalm 23:2-3 reminds us that, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” Psalm 1:3 and Isaiah 17:8 both portray the spiritually nourished soul to be like a tree planted by fresh water which bears good fruit.

Some years ago, I wrote two articles on this subject, “Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times” and “Room for the Singing of Angels.” If you would like to receive a copy of them, please let me know and I will send them to you.

The Bible is clear that God does not want us living at a frantic pace, constantly pushing and driving ourselves. Life is meant to be lived at a normal pace in a contemplative frame of mind, with lots of time carved out for rest, reflection, and renewal. That also happens to be a common trait among those in the Blue Zones who have lived long and well.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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