WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.280 Well, good morning. 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:04.959 It's our last week in our series on prayer. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:15.759 Now, last week in our students had an in-town retreat, and last Saturday evening they had their lip sync battle, electrifying lip sync battle over in the student chapel. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:19.199 We hosted the 10th and 11th grade girls at our house. 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:24.800 And so they asked me, they said, Hey, do you mind making like a small appearance during our battle? 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:26.559 Like, will you do that for us? 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.239 I think, you know, that sounds great. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:29.600 How big of a deal could it be? 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:30.879 Uh, yeah, I'm in. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:31.600 Let's do that. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:45.039 So I show up to the first practice, which was Saturday afternoon in our garage, and they say, Hey, no big deal, no big deal here, but like we're gonna, before the battle, during small group time, we're gonna sneak you into the church. 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:57.359 We're gonna put you in the the closet, the stage closet, and you're just gonna, you'll just be in there, you'll just be in there until um till the middle of our song during the battle, and then you'll come out. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:04.239 Okay, so we're that's so I sneak into the church, all the students in small groups, I get in the closet, here's where I sat, and that's my chair there. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:13.599 I sat in this closet, but door shut, completely dark, sit all by myself, nothing to do, the small dark closet for 45 minutes. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:17.519 Um I did that, and then party music started. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.920 I can hear the students coming in. 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:21.760 Um they're pouring in. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.159 I know where the second song, the first song happens. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:25.280 Okay, I'm listening to it. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:30.400 Okay, all right, it's right on the other side of this door, like I'm like, but I'm in the dark, just completely behind this door. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:37.840 Nobody knows I'm in there except for these like 10 to 12 uh high school girls, and they know I'm back that nobody else knows. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:47.680 And so second song starts, we're the second song, and so second song starts, and then halfway through the song, the door opens, and here's the one-minute clip of my part. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:48.480 Here we go. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:51.759 So that was fun. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:54.800 That was fun, thank you. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:02:58.400 Thank you. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:02:59.680 Uh we did win. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:08.879 It was controversial, controversial, because one of my employees was a judge, so that quite sure. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:14.719 Um, all right, so back to the 45 minutes of nothingness in the dark closet. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.759 I texted some friends, which that dried up quick. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:21.680 Apparently, they weren't sitting in a closet with nothing to do. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:23.439 So that went away fast. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:24.960 And I had taken some AirPods. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:32.319 I thought, well, maybe I'll watch a Seinfeld episode or something, but then I got really concerned that somebody was gonna need something out of the closet, and the door was gonna open. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:38.800 And so I sat like ready to hide behind the wall with the door opened. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:55.919 Um, and then somewhere along the way, I just sort of kind of like settled in to it was kind of it was like forced slowness, it was, it was like forced stillness, and I grew grateful that that closet didn't used to exist. 00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:01.520 Like some of you remember when we moved into this building, it was like a weird conference room hallway or something. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:04.240 Um, that student chapel didn't use to exist. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:08.000 Uh, the people leading our student ministry didn't used to be here. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.680 Those students, there didn't used to be a student ministry. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:13.680 And I just grew really grateful. 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:17.680 I was like, I'm incredibly grateful for all of this. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:24.480 And then I became intensely aware, especially once the first song started, of how nervous I was. 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:27.120 I was very they actually gave me dance moves. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:28.639 That was an insane thing to do. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:32.959 I actually had to be in certain places at certain times, and I grew very nervous. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:35.519 I was gonna screw this up for all these girls. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:38.079 I don't dance a lot, as you saw. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.079 I don't dance in groups. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:43.519 I'm not big into group dances, I'm not doing that a lot. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:45.680 So I was very, very nervous. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:55.680 But in that stillness, I grew grateful for things I would have passed over, and I grew aware of things I would have passed over. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:02.319 Isn't it easy just to pass over awareness and gratefulness because we never slow down? 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:07.199 And that's why I want to talk about slowness this morning. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:08.480 We've been talking about prayer. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:12.240 Slowness welcomes us into being a more prayerful people. 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:20.399 Richard Swinson, an MD doctor, after seeing how unhealthy our busy culture is, he wrote this in his book, Margin. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.040 We must have some room to breathe. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:26.000 We need freedom to think and permission to heal. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:29.519 Our relationships are being starved to death by velocity. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.560 No one has the time to listen, let alone love. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.759 Our children lay wounded on the ground, run over by our high-speed good intentions. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.000 Is God now pro-exhaustion? 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.920 Doesn't he lead people beside the still waters anymore? 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:49.600 Who plundered those wide open spaces of the past and how can we get them back? 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:55.120 There are no fallow lands for our emotions to lie down and rest in. 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:56.800 Here's what I've learned. 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:07.199 I've learned sometimes my calendar's busy, and sometimes my calendar's not busy, but actually, in either one, my heart can be incredibly busy. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.000 Our text this morning is Luke 10, that story of Jesus and Martha. 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:13.439 Mary, let's reread that. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:16.240 Luke 10, verses 38 through 42. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:27.199 Now, as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house, and she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:28.959 So Mary sat and listened. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:29.839 Verse 40. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.439 But Martha was distracted with much serving. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:38.000 Mary sat and listened, Martha distracted and serving. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:44.480 And she, Martha, went up to Jesus and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:46.240 Tell her then to help me. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:53.759 But the Lord answered her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:55.519 But one thing is necessary. 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:59.920 Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:04.639 I love that Jesus gives both Mary and Martha the same promise. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:06.480 It's the promise that we live in. 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:15.839 So point number one: you are fully loved by God for who you are in Jesus, not what you do for Jesus. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:24.160 We don't have to use our doing for Jesus to validate or secure who we are in Jesus. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:31.519 We are fully validated, fully secure as sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father through Jesus' work for us. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.480 What we do comes out of that. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:36.959 Do you remember Psalm 46, 10? 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:40.480 Be still and know that I am God. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:48.160 Point number two is this we are called to slow down and live at the pace of grace. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:51.360 In Mark 135, we have Jesus. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:53.519 Look what he does in Mark 135. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:58.240 And rising very early in the morning while it was still dark, he departed. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:02.079 And he went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:06.639 So Jesus actually models for us a way of teaching. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:08.240 Slow down. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:09.680 Retreat. 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:11.040 Pray. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:15.279 My mentor Scotty Smith says this about busyness. 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:18.800 Life could quickly become a series of events. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:23.040 I always think about it as a busy heart before a busy schedule. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:32.639 If the gospel is not the greater narrative of our lives, we subtly begin to feel the need for something to make us whole, to validate us. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:36.639 That pressure will create an anxious and busy heart. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:38.159 Okay, pause. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:39.279 Anybody? 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:40.639 I'm first hand up. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:41.600 I'll be first hand up. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:44.799 You can be second, third, hundred, two hundredth hand up. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:47.279 Scotty said, nobody's hands up. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:48.000 I have my hand still up. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:48.639 Nobody raise their hand. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:49.360 Did nobody raise their hand? 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:50.159 Okay, anyways. 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:51.919 We are made to be productive. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:53.279 This is what he said. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:54.799 We are made to be productive. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:59.600 When God said to his first son and daughter, fill the earth with my glory. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:02.320 That's an awesome, life-fulfilling calling. 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:06.559 One we still have, be creative, build culture, make beauty. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:15.600 The trouble comes when we believe Christianity is more about doing things for Jesus than doing all things with Jesus. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:26.000 God calls us to linger longer, to Sabbath more, so we can be set free from anxiety in his presence. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:37.759 Be still and know that I am God is an offer He makes to us for a consistent, calm state of being. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:41.440 Now that's not a destination. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:43.679 That's a journey. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.039 That's just a way of life of following Jesus. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:53.279 Our hearts were built for productivity and rest, for work and Sabbath. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:58.559 The book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, has become incredibly popular in the last few years. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:02.159 It's written based on a quote by Dallas Willard. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:03.600 Here's that quote. 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:13.519 Willard replied, You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:15.200 Okay, what else? 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:18.240 There's nothing else. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:22.480 Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:26.960 You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:29.519 So I'd like to get practical for a little bit. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:36.240 Last week we got practical about different ideas of prayer, different prayer practices that might fit you and your walk with Jesus. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:41.200 This morning I want to talk about seven ways to practice slowness. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.039 This is not an exhaustive list. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:45.279 You might have your own list, another idea. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:49.519 This is just seven ways I came up with, I jotted down this week. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:53.840 Slowness practice number one, silence and solitude. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:58.399 Set time aside for quiet reflection, scripture reading, and prayer. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:01.840 I spent yesterday with my college roommate and friend. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:03.840 He's the CFO of a pretty big company. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:04.879 He has four kids. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:07.279 He drives an hour to work each way. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:08.320 He's a busy guy. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:09.360 His kids are active. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:10.960 He's a lot going on. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:16.480 And he starts telling me that in this new year, he's like, hey, I've done some new scheduling stuff. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:23.440 He's like, I spend my morning drive, one hour, is all donated, it's given to spiritual life. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.200 Some worship, podcast. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:27.200 He's like, I get to the parking lot early. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:28.960 I do not go into the office. 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:30.720 As soon as you go to the office, it's over. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:31.919 That is over, right? 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:32.960 Don't go to the office. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:38.960 He sits in his car, does his little devotion, and then he goes in the office and the day begins. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:39.519 Right? 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:44.320 We have to find and block out these pockets of time during our day. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.240 They do exist, these pockets. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:48.080 But it takes a little bit of reflection. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:51.759 It takes a little bit of slowing down to learn how to slow down. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:58.799 30 minutes here, 10 minutes here, five minutes here, that can actually change your life. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:02.559 Block out an hour a week for a long walk. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:05.120 Go on a silent retreat with Pastor Matt. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:06.480 Amen, Pastor Matt. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:08.399 Like he is waiting to take you. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:09.759 He won't talk about it too much. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:12.720 It was a silent retreat, but they happen. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:26.879 The word still and be still and know that I am God still means to sink down, to let go, to become quiet and abandon all. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:37.360 When I first started to slow down like this, like Mary, to sit and listen, because for a long time spiritual practice was just me doing stuff. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:45.919 But to in prayer sit and listen, and to just sit there quietly, all these emotions came up. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:54.159 Like all this anxiety, all this worry and concern, fear, all these stories from long ago. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.320 Things done, mistakes made. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:05.200 Stories driving my behaviors now, but I thought they were way back there. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:08.639 I was becoming aware of those. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:11.840 Now that could be really scary, and it is scary. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:16.480 Here's the good news: your security with Jesus is already secured based on Jesus' work for you. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:19.120 So none of this means that God delights in you more or less. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:25.440 And what it means when all those emotions come up, or that past story, you can be curious about it. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:32.080 You can say, God, wow, I had no idea I was this angry. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:33.759 I had no idea I was this greedy. 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.360 I had no idea I was this. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:38.879 God, I didn't even know that story was still part of me. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.279 Would you teach me more about that? 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:43.840 I want to be open to that. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:49.120 See, this is how slowness helps us for confession and for healing. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:51.679 Slowness practice number two. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:55.039 Go for a walk with your phone on silent. 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:58.639 Sit on your porch with your phone on silent. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:03.840 When was the last time you drove to Kroger and left your phone at home? 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:04.879 Right? 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.799 Some of you remember used to do it all the time. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.480 Because you didn't have a cell phone, right? 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.039 Like older people, 40 and above, we all know. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:12.399 And you know what happened to us? 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:12.960 Nothing. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:13.759 We were fine. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:15.840 We were just fine. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:18.240 You could actually do this. 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:21.519 You could leave your phone at home and go somewhere. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.919 It's a radical idea, I know. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:29.120 You could go for a walk without your phone or just put it on silent. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:30.879 Slowness practice number three. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:34.320 At a set time each evening, put your phone up. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:40.480 Then maybe this means you do those modes and you get the mode set to like silent mode or night mode at a certain time. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:43.600 Maybe you put it in a drawer and shut it or cabinet and shut it. 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:45.039 Raise your hand if you have a cell phone. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:46.639 Go ahead, let's participate. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:47.840 Raise your hand. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:50.159 Alright, half of you have cell phones. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:51.200 That's a bunch of junk. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.120 We all have raise your hand if you're on your phone too much. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:56.000 Raise your hand. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:56.399 Yep. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.519 Why am I on Zillow six hours a day? 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:02.559 I love it. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:04.159 God love it so much. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.759 I do love it. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:06.720 Whoa. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:11.360 I think this afternoon I'm gonna really dig into that more. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.159 We need boundaries. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:16.960 Like our children need boundaries with cell phones. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.799 Hopefully, you're doing that. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:21.279 Guess who else needs boundaries? 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.120 I need boundaries. 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:24.639 You need boundaries. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:27.600 Practice number four. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:30.559 Create margin by controlling your calendar. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:33.519 Leave gaps of time between meetings and appointments. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:35.840 Nobody will know you do this, but you will. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.279 It'll change your life. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:48.080 If you just leave some gaps, little moments to recover, to sit quietly in your car, in your office, I don't know, wherever, it's just little gaps of time. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:50.799 Just don't smush the day all together. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:16:00.559 It took me 20 years to learn that I am allowed, you are allowed to make an appointment with you and Jesus and put it on your calendar. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:06.799 And then when somebody asks for that appointment, you can say, I'm sorry, I can't do that. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:08.559 I have an appointment. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.399 Now I would never do that to you. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.279 I've never done it to you, but I've done it to other people, not you. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:14.879 I didn't do it to you. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:18.559 Slowest practice number five. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:23.840 Use margin moments during the day for stillness, not just scrolling. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:27.840 A couple of years ago, in a doctorate class in St. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.440 Louis, our professor, who's a psychologist, he took us to Forest Park, St. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:33.519 Louis, this beautiful park in the middle of the city. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:34.240 Here it is. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:35.600 Lovely, beautiful. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:40.240 He took us there, the group of 10 pastors, and he said, Hey, for one hour, here's what we're gonna do. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:46.720 Everybody put their phone on silent, put a timer on your phone for 50 minutes, and for the first 50 minutes, you're gonna walk all around the park. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:49.279 I don't want you to think about anything, let your mind go wherever. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:52.799 But I do want you to do is walk around, just notice anything that's beautiful. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:54.000 That's what I want you to do. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:56.080 At 50 minutes, your little timer's gonna go off. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:01.120 I want you to sit down, I want you just to type out what you want to be remembered for. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:04.000 And then come back after those 10 minutes, after one hour. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.359 We came back as a group. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:07.519 He said, How was the first 50 minutes? 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.599 Some people are like, Oh, that was amazing. 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:11.519 It was the first time in a you know three weeks. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.640 I've slowed down. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:13.680 Oh, it was amazing. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:15.359 I got to reflect, oh, it was so amazing. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.079 And other people are like, that was horrible. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:21.200 Like, task, task-oriented people. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:22.799 Anybody in here, task-oriented? 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:24.079 They're like, that was awful. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:27.440 I was angry, I was mad, you're wasting my time. 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:29.519 Let's get some stuff done, right? 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.960 Some of you know what I'm talking about. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:40.480 What was clear for all of us, those last 10 minutes, when we wanted to, what you want to be remembered for, all of us are like, man, that came really fast. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:41.759 That was clear. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.440 It happened quickly and fast and clear. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:52.480 And he said, psychologically, when we slow down, we get clearer on what matters. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:58.799 That's how this can serve you, a practice of slowness, prayer. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.480 You can become clearer on what matters. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:05.279 Slowness, practice number six. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:06.400 Take naps. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:07.680 That's my wife's advice. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:10.799 I got about an hour and a half, about an hour and a half. 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:12.559 I'll be doing this one, lay down. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.839 And I've gotten way into this. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.400 It took 20 years of her convincing to take naps. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.000 I know you can't do it every day. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:24.079 You might lose your job, but I've gotten into it, and it's like, ooh, that was a really long, that's a long one, Russ. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.079 Like that was like a night's sleep. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:28.880 So you might not want to go as far as I've gone. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:32.400 But just to be able to say, like, take a moment. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:37.359 Take a nap, sit quietly, lay down, maybe lay down for 15 minutes. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:39.359 Just like just catch back up. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:42.960 Let your body calm down, let your mind calm down. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:45.039 Slowness practice number seven. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.759 Practice a Sabbath day a week. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:49.519 Friday's my Sabbath. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:51.119 Today might be your Sabbath. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:52.160 I'm working right now. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:53.759 You might not be working. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:55.119 So Friday's my Sabbath. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:56.720 I try to do as little work as possible. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:58.640 Try not to open my computer. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:03.200 Usually spend the day with my wife, my family, and outdoors. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.680 And I don't do this because I have to. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:07.039 I could work. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:10.720 God's not gonna suddenly be disappointed in me. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.880 His love for me is not gonna disappear. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:15.039 I could work, it's gonna be fine. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:17.279 But I get to do this. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:21.119 I get to not be productive for a day. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:30.079 See, I want to learn, I want us to learn what it means for us to be unhurried and non-anxious. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:32.720 That's not a destination. 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:36.319 But that's the journey we can be on with Jesus. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:41.680 Sabbath was celebrated in Eden before the fall. 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:47.519 God rested on the seventh day of creation, not because he needed to rest, because he got to rest. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:49.759 There's a statement of something far greater. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:54.400 Sabbath declares that we are made for communion, reflection, and connection. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:59.200 Sabbath is a way of ordering our lives for relationship with God. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:04.799 We cease our striving, and then we go live, and we go work and we go play. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:08.240 Two questions, growth and grace questions. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:17.119 First one, what do you think keeps you from hearing the voice of the Spirit declaring God's great delight in you? 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:24.240 Unbelief, shame, a noisy heart, not taking the time to listen, something else? 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.000 Second question. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:31.519 Scripture calls us to guard our hearts, to nourish, protect, and care for them. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:37.039 What might this look like for you in this next season of life? 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.680 Where do you need to begin? 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.119 Now let's go back to Mary and Martha. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:47.839 Mary's quiet before Jesus, sitting and listening. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:51.920 Martha is distracted, she's busy, she's serving. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:21:03.200 What I love about this story is Jesus compliments Mary, teaches her, and then he guides Martha. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:08.160 Jesus is completely devoted to both. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:14.960 He's interacting and relating with them differently, just like he does to us in our different times of life and seasons of life. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.279 But he's devoted to both. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:23.599 Mary doesn't get more devotion because she's doing what's right and Martha's doing what's wrong. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.160 And this is our last point, point number three. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:32.720 God is deeply devoted to you in Christ without conditions or limits. 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:35.440 Here's our prayer. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:37.759 My prayer for you, our prayer as a group. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.279 It's something like Heavenly Father, we don't have to pray, I'm just kind of like saying this. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:49.599 Heavenly Father, help us to rest and grow in your deep devotion to us, whether we're acting like Mary or acting like Martha. 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:53.920 And help my heart to slow down, to experience your love. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.599 Let's pray together. 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:58.400 Heavenly Father, sometimes we act like Martha. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:03.039 We are busy and distracted either with our calendars or definitely in our hearts. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:05.279 Help us to slow down. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:09.839 Even when our calendars are full, teach us what it means to walk with you. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:15.359 Even when our calendars are full and we're productive, teach us what it means to find pockets of rest. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:21.759 Teach us a way of following Jesus that's both productive and restful. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:27.279 And help us trust all the more, Jesus, that you are enough. 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:28.960 In Christ's name we pray. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:29.839 Amen.