Stop. Look! Listen. . . .

The world is so full of a number of things
I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.
 –Robert Louis Stevenson


For Christians, the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist remind us of God’s intimate presence in our lives. They are sacred moments when God seems this close, and we wish, sometimes, that that closeness could go on forever.

Jean Pierre de Caussade coined a wonderful phrase: the Sacrament of the Present Moment. This moment, this day will never come again, and God is present here, as well, in intimate ways that will never come to pass in just the same way, ever again. Every moment of every day is sacred and wonderful. I wonder how often we become so busy, we forget to stop and appreciate God's abundant generosity. When was the last time you simply—stopped?

Time is sometimes compared to a flowing river. We trail our fingers through the waters or stand in it ankle-deep, but as we wander downstream, the water is not the same water we were in before. Always flowing, always advancing, never to return again—and changed by our presence therein.

This will be your challenge for the week. Five senses. For five days, a chance to experience, in deliberate stillness, God’s Holy Presence in your life. Slow down and enjoy.


Monday Bundle up and head outdoors. Pause, tip your head back and look up. Now lower your gaze to the ground. What did you see? 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tuesday Indoors or out, in your home or another place, pause for several minutes and listen deeply. Beyond the voices and traffic, tune your ear to an inner Voice. What do you hear? Isaiah 64:4

Wednesday This time of year has its own peculiar smell. It can be hard to pick up on the “outdoorsy fragrance” of winter. Try it. Can you describe it? 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

Thursday We require food for our very survival. Today, be very deliberate in choosing what you eat. As you eat, put your fork down between bites and really taste what you are eating. 1 Peter 2:2-3.

Friday Every surface of our bodies is sensitive to touch or contact. Hands, feet, elbows—all designed to tell us what our world “feels like.” Be aware of this today as you wash, as you walk, as you make your way in the world. Mark 5:24-34

Saturday As you pray for yourself today, be aware of the “complete package” that is you. Give thanks. Psalm 139:1-13

Sunday Look around you, Enjoy the moment with another. Luke 14:12-14


No one sees a flower, not really. To look at a flower takes time, like having a friend takes time. –Georgia O’Keeffe

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