Slow down - You might see something

Summer is here. (well, this is Ohio, it's here for now) I just returned from a walk at Sharon Woods. It's a beautifully perfect day and everyone is out enjoying the sun and the blue sky. I saw daddys chasing little girls, families practicing t-ball, flying kites and relaxing with each other; singles walking with their ipods, or in my case a camera; young couples walking dogs; one family circled around the picnic table holding hands, praying.

The one sight that particularly touched my heart and spoke to me was a little girl walking with, I'm assuming, her grandpa. Hand in hand by the lake they strolled at a pace her legs and his years could handle. It reminded me of the walks I used to take with my grandpa. We'd start off slowly with no goal or destination, no time limit or heart rate to meet, just walking, getting some fresh air and exercise. Inevitably I would speed up and get ahead of him. "Slow down! You might see something!", he'd yell, not in anger but as someone who wanted to teach me something and spend time with me. Today I am sure he is strolling with Jesus and the saints, and I'm sure he is seeing something.

As I pulled out of the park and back into the reality of people rushing to get to the Memorial weekend sales, the next BBQ on their list, the little league double-header or whatever they're all rushing toward; I realized God is telling us the same thing. "Slow down! You might see something!"

So today my prayer is this: Father, slow us down. Don't let us move so quickly on this walk that we miss what You want us to see. Keep us walking at Your pace, by Your side so we can spend our time with You. Father, lead on the paths You want us to take. Don't let us ever move ahead of You and miss the ones You want us to invite to walk with us. Don't let us miss the ones who have stumbled on the path and need a hand to get back up and keep walking. Don't let us miss the benches where You want us to just sit at Your feet and be still. Father, we know that Jesus came to give us abundant life, not busy lives. Remind us to turn off the TV, push away from the computer, leave work on time, let the dust go for another day, stop texting and slow down! So we might see something. In Jesus' Name.