Deuteronomy 30:14

The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

Putting Down Distractions

The word is very near to you. Except, sometimes it feels as though there are so many distractions, we can’t figure out how to find the word of God’s love for us at all. One of my friends shared with a group of us about a meditation he learned, in which you imagine yourself putting all of your distractions into a box. I like this image, the idea that I can take whatever is coming into the place where I want to be in prayer, in silence, in communion with God, and just take those distractions, put them in a box and in my version, I put the box up on a shelf on the wall. I know it’s there, and I know if there’s anything in there that I need, I can get it later, but for right now, for this moment, I will be here now, with the word of the Lord in my mouth and in my heart. I will observe what I observe, and come into my day ready to be the instrument of God’s love that I truly want to be in the world.

Prayer: Dear God, We say it all the time. We tell ourselves to ‘Be Here Now.’ Help us to do it, so that we can hear what your word is to us today.

Reflection Questions:

1. What distractions do you need to put in the box today? Try imagining yourself putting the box away for at least a little while.
2. What do you observe when you let yourself notice that God’s word is in you?
3. How is God leading you to be an instrument of God’s love and peace today?