Watching the Wall: September 2010
Posted Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 | 0 Comments »I was visiting my five-year-old nephew a few weekends ago and it seems that he has inherited the A.D.D. that runs in my family. His brain, mouth, and body were not only running a mile a minute, but they were also often running in opposite directions from each other. Add to all of this that he’s also a five-year-old boy, and you have utter chaos. Since he’s delightful, it was chaos that was well worth it—but several times we had major communication issues about what he was doing or what I was supposed to be doing.
For example, there was a three-minute window of time that started with us sitting on his bed listening to his goodnight story. Two seconds later, we were on the floor playing with trains—and not just building a train set, but ramming our trains at each other to see who could knock each other off the track first. (And because I was the adult, it was communicated that I was expected to lose and/or forfeit, a rule I chose not to follow.) All the while, we’re having a discussion about how and when he goes to the bathroom at night. And all of this is taking place at a volume that over the course of an extended time could cause permanent hearing loss.
I’ve been thinking about him and our play time a lot the past couple of weeks, mostly because I enjoyed it so much, but also because I’ve wondered at his ability to enjoy himself at such a frantic rate. Granted, he is just a five-year-old and it’s just play time, but I think many adults operate under this same pace. Feeling so scattered and stretched that we are frenetically trying to get it all done and as we check things off the list other “little” things pop up that also need to be done, adding a glint of craziness to our eyes. For others it’s not a question of focusing on too many things all at once or being a chronic multitasker, but the struggle of monovision and not being able to focus on anything but that one issue that keeps rolling around your brain: will my child succeed? How much longer will I stay here? Does he/she like me?
The question is rarely about the quality of things done or thoughts thought, but rather— who is determining our focus? As believers we’ve given our whole lives to God in order to let Him determine what our priorities are. Sometimes those priorities are many, and life feels like a sprint; other times there is one particular issue that is so heavy on our heart that we are burdened to be intercessors. Where ever you are in the moment of life right now I hope that this can be a chance to re-evaluate. More than justifying our own choices, we can use this reminder from an energetic five-year-old to lay everything down and see what God picks up and puts back in our hands.
As we come to prayer this month I hope that as you encounter the list of needs and praises that God would be speaking to you about how to pray and where he wants you to focus in this season.
Dear Lord, I thank you so very much for those who are praying for your body. I thank you that you’ve given them a heart to petition you regarding concerns and that there is belief that you will intervene and respond to our conversations with you. Jesus, please teach us constantly how to pray well and develop us evermore into speakers, hearers, and doers of your word. Thank you for loving us well and claiming us as your people. Amen.
Megan Dobrasz
Pastor of College and Post College/Early Career Ministries






