Faith and Fenders

After rear-ending a luxury sedan on my way to the gas station yesterday, I nearly burst into tears. Life has been a bit too busy lately with no one in particular to blame but me. Why is my schedule so full, and when did my normal pace morph into near insanity?

While reading Ruth Haley Barton’s book, “Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership,” a poem by Ted Loder, quoted in Ruth’s book, caused me to wonder if my recent busyness was crowding out the benefits of my daily Quiet Time. Was I really connecting with God the way I used to when I felt I could hear His Voice?

As the words of Ted’s poem washed over me, my spirit grew calm and my heart opened wide to receive the peace that passes all understanding.

“Holy One, there is something I wanted to tell you, but there have been errands to run, bills to pay, meetings to attend, washing to do…and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you, and forget what I am about or why. Oh God, don’t forget me please, for the sake of Jesus Christ.”

We all know that God never forgets us, but we often get too busy to deeply connect with him. Soon after in the same text, Ruth pierced my heart with the following words: “…I realized that there was something I wanted to say to God but had been too busy and too out of touch with my own soul to say. What I wanted to say to God was ‘I miss you.’”

Despite the hours I spend with God each week, I realized I missed Him too. I began to repeat those three small words, “I miss You. I miss You. I miss You,” emphasizing miss and then, miss You, allowing my heart to truly enter in.

Then I just sat with my Heavenly Father and thanked Him for reaching out to me, for slowing me down, and for turning my fender-bender into a glorious reminder of how much He loves me and just wants to be with me.

The “doing” would have to wait. “The One Whom my soul loves” was calling my name.