PRECIOUS LITTLE

Meditation is a form of prayer which is a time for receiving glimpses…glimpses of deeper meaning to things happening in our lives, glimpses of beauty and/or inspiration for the difficult times, glimpses of joy and peace in the midst of them, or, as I like to think of it...glimpses of Life with a capital L. I don't always experience these glimpses, but when I do I say, “Thank you, God!”

These momentary epiphanies are wonderful, but still, I want more. I'm not fully satiated--at least not for long. I don’t like to admit it, but like the bumper sticker says, “I want it all…and I want it right now.”

It appears, however, that it doesn’t work this way most of the time. Of course, God could give us the all we desire, but God seldom does. (Hopefully, there’s a good reason behind this behavior, God!) And here’s the real irony—and maybe a reason.  When we take the time to examine our own behaviors, we discover we don’t do so well when we actually do get it all--no matter what “all” is. We've heard stories about what often  happens to people who win the lottery or receive some other huge windfall of wealth. Or, consider the biblical story of spoiled excess manna (Exodus 16:1-31) and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-32). Or, if you're feeling particularly brave, consider your own track record.

In the material realm of our lives, all too often when we get it all we waste much of it. We really don't appreciate getting a lot any more than we appreciate getting a little...and we squander it. Or, we may even go in the opposite direction and hoard it! Insofar as this is true of our relationship to material things, might it also be true of spiritual things as well…”things” like glimpses of deeper meanings, of beauty and inspiration, feelings of joy and peace--of Life with a capital L?

Maybe God gives us precious little in the hope that we will come to perceive the infinite abundance that exists in all things, even little things, precious little things…like glimpses.

May it be so as we enter into the abundance of a whole new year...one precious glimpse at a time.