Living Life Out of Focus

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Image Source: Carina Sze

I recently caught myself dozing off during a class at Seminary. It took the lecturer a couple of tries to get my attention back on the matter at hand. Once I was fully present again, I had no idea what had just been spoken about.

I am sure I am not alone in this experience.

The lectionary readings for this week tell an awesome story of the Transfiguration of Jesus...

Jesus took Peter, John and James onto the mountain to pray. As Jesus prayed, his face was transformed, his clothing lit up and two of the great Old Testament leaders, Moses and Elijah, appeared beside Jesus.

My friend and fellow Seminarian, Jaco Gerber, made an interesting observation about this text. We are told that the disciples who went on the mountain with Jesus were "weighed down with sleep" and they almost missed this awesome moment!

How crazy is that? These disciples were privileged enough to be present at one of the most amazing moments in the life of Jesus and they almost missed it.

How often do we almost miss what God is doing for us and around us? Whether it is because of lack of sleep or just being lost in our own thoughts - we are regularly not fully aware of what is going on around us.

Even though we might be physically present, we are not truly there.

Sometimes we become so comfortable with our surroundings that we fail to keep an eye out for what God might be doing in the familiar.

How often do children have to call their parents multiple times before they get their attention? Dad? Dad? DAD?!

Perhaps God is shouting at us in God's own way, trying to get our attention. God's grace is right there for us to see, but we are too switched off to see it and be aware of it.

"Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him"
- Luke 24:31

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