The Art of Prayer, Part 3

   "Then God said, "Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth." And this is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space, "sky." And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day." Genesis 1:6-8

  God created space. He created a zone of nothing.

  There can be no something without nothing.

  Is it really nothing though?

  This space is a place waiting for God to finish His creative handiwork. The space between the waters will be where birds fly and clouds drift past. Space will hold the rain and the snow. But not yet.

  Until a few more days pass, the space is a place of anticipation, waiting to see what happens next. Space, literally, is holding its breath; a breath that will sustain God's creations who need air to live.

  Space is something so important that it needed to be created on the second day! 

  I have written about how art has been sorely maligned by society but then I awoke this morning with the understanding that being still is also a place of punishment.

  How often, as children, were the scolding words harshly directed in our direction, "Sit Still!!" 

  Perversely, sitting still was also punishable. "Stop wasting time, get up and DO something!"

  Sound familiar?

  Is there a need to give ourselves permission to give both space and time to/for God? 

  Is there a need to forgive those who taught us that both doing nothing and doing something was bad?

  Time is the enemy of space.

  Time was created by humans the moment we started living our lives according to the sun's movement across the sky. The sun became our god. 

  The sun was replaced by machines that tracked the seconds, minutes and hours of every day. The clock became our god. 

  So here we are, the clock ticking in the background, wondering where to find the time to create our own space to come before God.

  I suppose I need to ask the tough question, "Do you want to?"

  Can you be a space like the sky waiting to be filled with life?

  

  Lord, help me let go of the things, the lies, the half-truths that make me run from You. Help me find the patience to know opening my heart will take practice. Most of all, help me be aware that You are always with me, even when I am busy. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!