Daily Reading
Daily Thought
Elihu continued to speak, and, surprisingly, made some sense. Job’s problem was not he had sinned, but he was too focused on himself. “Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14), was Elihu’s advice, and good, at that. Something, in fact, I should keep in mind.
I often drive back and forth between northern and southern California, always on Interstate 5, fast lane, of course. It’s a straight shot, no distractions. NO DISTRACTIONS. Nothing to see, nothing to do. With one stop at Kettleman City for an In-N-Out double-double, I’m there. 400 miles, 6½ hours.
Interstate 5, every time. Except twice. Two times I detoured west along Highway One–a two-lane road, bending and curving, hugging the California coast. Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, it commands frequent stops to take in fog-shrouded cliffs, rugged canyons, windswept cypress trees, the crashing surf of the Pacific Ocean. 500 miles, 9 hours.
Ninety-eight percent of the time, I choose speed over splendor. But lately I’ve been asking myself, ‘Why?’ Why in the world do I hurry to Los Angeles …and bypass the wonders of God? Or as a couple guys named Simon and Garfunkel put it, “Slow down, you move too fast.”
Daily Prayer
God of wonders, what a creation!! The stars so vast, beyond count, and yet you hold them in Your palm and name them. The depth of the oceans and height of the mountains do not surpass Your grandeur. Rather, they reflect Your majesty and mystery.
Lord, may I measure my days. May I be productive and do the work You have called me to do. May I also rest and worship. May I stop long enough to look at this world around me and reflect. May creation draw me to the wonder and worship of its Creator.
Amen
