Life in the fast lane

The devotions this week are a re-run of those used previously, by special request.

DAILY BYTE

Near to where I live the M13 highway heads inland from 45th Cutting just outside Durban towards Pinetown. Before it reaches Pinetown, the M13 winds through a fairly picturesque area (as far as highways go) of indigenous bush before merging with a double-lane offramp flowing from the N3.

In my experience, the traffic from the N3 offramp is usually traveling considerably faster than the traffic on the M13, and because this faster traffic merges from the left hand side, it leads to an interesting scenario. You can be taking a leisurely drive along the M13, pretty much minding your own business and enjoying the scenery, when suddenly you find yourself in the fast lane of a multi-lane highway, with cars rushing up behind you, flashing their lights and hooting at you to move over or get a move on.

Whenever it happens to me I never fail to reflect on how this is true of so much of life – how easily I find myself traveling in the fast lane, and I’m not even sure how I got there. Think for a moment how this might be true for you, with the demands of work, marriage, kids, friends, church and family requiring more and more from you. And when you manage to catch your breath for just a moment and reflect on the breakneck pace of your life, you realize that you’re living in the fast lane, that’s it’s pretty much “go go go” all the time, and you’re not even sure how this happened.

The 59th Street Bridge Song by Paul Simon & Art Garfunkle begins with the memorable words, ‘Slow down you move too fast.’ The song goes on to paint a somewhat idyllic picture of a more gentle paced life, that is the exact opposite of life in the fast lane. Consider these words in the final verse:

Got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you, all is groovy!

At this point we say, ‘Aha! Wishful escapist fantasy.’ (And certainly, any song with the word ‘groovy’ in it would probably fall into that category.) And I guess that it is, for who of us can honestly say, ‘Got no deeds to do, no promises to keep.’ Given this reality, is there any hope for us to live a less frantic, frenetic life that doesn’t require a complete abdication of all of our roles and responsibilities?

That is the theme that will be explored in our devotions this week. For the scriptures are clear that there is more to life than rushing from one thing to the next. Indeed, the compelling witness of our faith tradition is that woven into the sacred rhythms of a balanced and abundant life are times for rest and reflection and renewal, which are not only possible but essential if we are to live healthy, productive, sustainable and faithful lives.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Gracious God, sometimes my life gets completely out of control as I rush from one thing to the next, constantly dealing with all kinds of demands and juggling many different responsibilities. Remind me that there is more to life than racing along in the fast lane all the time. May this week be an opportunity to examine the busyness of my life in the light of your word, that I may live more truly the life that you call me to. Amen

SCRIPTURE READING

Hebrews 4:1, 9-10

“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it... So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labours as God did from his.”