You know how you can set a different ring tone for a certain caller on your cell phone? So you can identify your kids, or your spouse or someone important just by the sound the phone makes when they call. Ever wonder what God’s ring tone sounds like? At the New England Annual Conference meeting in June (a gathering of 1,000 Methodist pastors and church members from across New England) you could hear all sorts of God-like ring tones: “Oh when the Saints . .” or Handel’s “Ha-le-lu-jah!” or a variety of hip hop Christian groups. Or maybe God’s ring tone is something different altogether.Recently, I had the opportunity to wait for someone. Since I am almost always late, this doesn’t happen all that often. I have two small children, and a whole congregation, not to mention a bit of the workaholic gene. This tends to make my life fast motion. Even though I try hard not to be, I am very often late! (Sorry to all those who have had to wait on me!) So here I was, waiting, and I was without my calendar, computer, or anything at all to do. Perhaps THIS is what God’s ring tone is like. Because this was a good reminder of me to pay attention and s-l-o-o-o-w down, to pray and remember God. Maybe God’s ring tone is what ever makes us stop to listen for God’s voice. Whatever breaks into our ordinary routine and shifts our focus to God.
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Maybe it is a moment where the sun breaks through. Check out this great photo taken by Parker, one of our teenaged members, who mows the lawn each week, he noticed the beautiful sunset and how it reflected off the granite bench next to our labyrinth. God’s ring tone – causing a pause in the ordinary routine to notice the spectacular Creation! What moments, experiences, opportunities have you had to meet God today, this week?
~Pastor Virg Fryer
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I wish I had a picture of it, but one day recently, when I was sitting in the car, behind the wheel, getting impatient and frustrasted about running behind... a favorite song of mine, "Hosanna (Be Lifted Higher)", the Version by Israel Houghton, started playing on my iPod. As it started, quite literally as the music began, I looked up and out my window and the brightest ray of sunshine came out from behind a cloud and shone down on the mountain tops with all the fall foliage. It was as if the anger and impatience evaporated from me and God was saying, "Hello? Priorities? Here I am, notice me, please, and notice all I've given you."
ReplyDeleteOften, God "calls" me in the words of my two daughters, Sophia (3, going on 12) and Abby (2... hopefully staying 2 forever, haha:). They seem to remember how beautiful everything is even when no one else does. They remind me how important love is vs. time and happiness is vs. success; they do it with a simple "Mama?", When I'm wound up and reply "what, sweetie?" with exasperation, and then their precious voice replies, "Hug me, please?".
I work on 12A, off exit 20 where all the hustle and bustle is. I recommend to anyone, on your next drive down 12A (particularly when it's sunny and gorgeous out), look at JC Penny or Kohl's and see the world man has created... and then look just beyond them, to the world God created. The view might suprise you and make you remember that, although the world around you is caught up in whatever it is doing... we don't have to be that way. We can be the peace or the calm, giving thanks in the craziness.
So those are my God's RingTone moments!
-Kate