Living with our grandson for the last year or so has taught me a lot about patience, but it has also given me a fresh insight into what Jesus was meaning when he said that we should be like little children - No, he's not meaning that we should have tantrums when we don't get our own way! Our grandson really loves trains and reading books. We've enjoyed many train journeys with him, stood on platforms for hours watching the steam trains arriving and departing, we have watched him playing with his toy train set and enjoyed the peace while he looks at old train magazines that he's been given by friends. I've often been left wondering, why isn't he bored, as he pushes his trains round the same track for hours on end! I've lost count of the times that I've read to him, or he's read to me, the Gruffalo book and all the other rhyming books from Julia Donaldson. There's only so many times you can hear these stories before you begin to lose the will to live and you're tempted to hide the books (but unfortunately he knows them off by heart!)
So, apart from patience, what have I actually learnt? That though we often think that children have a short attention span, when they engage with something that they love, they're happy to be in the moment. They just concentrate on what they're doing and ignore what's going on around them (something that I've been accused of while watching sport on TV!), or they find a story they like and repeat it so many times that they learn it (I can still manage to learn the squad of my favourite football team or the lyrics of a song by a band, but why do I struggle with remembering scripture?). Why when I'm trying to spend time with God, am I always concerned with keeping an eye on the clock - I need to be in the moment!
As we continue in this time of social distancing, when we are confined to our homes and gardens. Why not take Time2 STOP! Like me, you've probably said in the past that I'd love to have the time to read my bible and pray more - the good news is you do! If now isn't the opportunity to stop clock watching and to be in the moment, you'll never find one! You could also get that pile of books out that you heard a preacher recommend, so you went and bought them. You know the ones, that pile that has just sat on your shelf or next to you bed since you bought them, waiting until you have the time to sit down and read them. The good news is, you do have the time!
Lets not miss this opportunity to connect with God!
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