Are you just skimming the surface of life?

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”

Our Bible verse for today: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Are you just skimming the surface of life?

Do you collect things? Many people do. I have known people who collected baseball cards, coins, figurines, art, guns, cars, motorcycles, and much more. I collect books. I love books. I love to read and I keep all the best books. At this point I have a couple of thousand of them in two libraries (one in my home office and one in my church office). Aimee and I also have bookcases filled with books throughout our home. I just love books.

I have a special section in my library for “the best of the best”. This is where I keep my favorites of all time, the ones I have probably read multiple times. One of those “best of the best” books is “The Relentless Elimination of Hurry” by Pastor John Mark Comer. I have read it four times and will probably read it again soon. It’s very good. And helpful.

The basic premise of the book is that hurry is a thief. It distracts us from the things that are most important. Hurry causes us to miss precious moments in life, and it steals our joy. Hurry makes it impossible to truly savor moments, people, and events that should be special to us. Hurry also makes us insensitive to other people, and it causes us to miss telltale verbal clues that might have alerted us to the fact that someone else is having a bad day or is need of a hug or a kind word. Speaking of himself Comer wrote, “All of my worst moments happen when I’m in a hurry.”

Amen brother.

Philosopher David Zach once referred to such a life as “hyper-living” or, “just skimming the surface of life.” We move through life at such a pace that we just blow past people and situations that really do deserve and should receive our focused attention. We greet people and ask, “How are you?”, without really listening to how they are. We speed past a beautiful view of meadows and mountains without actually seeing the meadows and the mountains. We’re just in too much of a hurry. We’re skimming the surface of life.

I love the picture Solomon paints for us in Ecclesiastes 3:1. There’s a time for everything and a season for every activity. It’s a picture of a leisurely stroll through life, stopping to smell the roses and to talk to the neighbors, and to pet the puppy. No hyper-living in that picture.

I encourage all of us to slow it down. Take a breath and enjoy the moments of your life today. No hyper-living. No skimming the surface of life. Instead, take the time to pay attention and to go deep with people and situations. Truly appreciate and enjoy the gift of this day that the Lord has given you. Savor it.

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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