Where does the time go? It’s hard to believe that we are already seven weeks into the New Year. Did you make a New Year’s resolution? If so, are you keeping up with it or is it a distant memory?
Just a few days ago we began the season of Lent. During this time we are encouraged to pause and reflect on our relationship with God. Lent is a time of preparation, self-examination, and renewal, guiding us toward Easter. For many, it is marked by giving something up or taking something on (a second opportunity to reignite that new year’s resolution) - but, at its core, Lent challenges us to look for God in the ordinary moments woven throughout our daily lives.
As many of you will be aware, at the beginning of January I started the License Lay Ministry (Reader) LLM(R) course, or in simple terms reader training. One of my tasks was to look for the presence of God in our church building. What would your answer be?
Each of us looks for the presence of God in our own way, there is no right or wrong answer, or a one size fits all approach to finding God. So, whether we find ourselves in the rush of morning routines, the stillness of a lunch break or in the daily interactions between friends and strangers, I encourage you to look for God’s presence that surrounds us in our everyday life. We don’t need to wait for that light bulb moment or extraordinary experiences to encounter God. Instead, let’s open our eyes and our hearts to the subtle ways God reaches out - a smile, a kind word, the wonder of creation or a moment of peace. This Lent, may we intentionally create space to notice and respond, growing closer to God in the midst of everyday living.
As we continue through Lent, let us do so with purpose and confidence, trusting that in finding God in the ordinary, we will encounter the extraordinary presence of God.
Blessings
Ash