Distractions

The Annual Church Fete will be held at the end of the month and so it is an ideal opportunity to deliver the parish News-sheet to every house in the parish. As you can guess this is quite some undertaking but hopefully there will be enough willing hands to share the load. I picked up my round on Sunday and set out during the week to deliver them. I deliver on a relatively new estate some way from where I live so it is interesting to see the houses and, as you might expect, the gardens. Some people take great care with their gardens, one had a border of deep red roses round a neatly manicured lawn whilst others were filled with a mass of exotic flowers producing a riot of colour. It was impossible to pass by without stopping to admire them. Others were simply a sad patch of grass and weeds – still I expect the birds and insects appreciated it.   One thing which did sadden me was the number of front gardens paved over to accommodate two, three or four cars. One ecologically minded chap had plugged his electric car into a cable running from the house to charge it. Very eco friendly provided the old chap delivering the Parish News-sheets doesn’t trip over it!

As you will have noticed by now there were so many distractions on the round that it is a wonder that anything got delivered at all! But then there are always distractions in life. For example, the ubiquitous mobile phone means that everyone is contactable at any time of the day or night.

Let me ask you then. When you made your morning prayer today did you have a real conversation with God? As well as talking to Him did you listen to what He had to say to you? Or were you distracted by thoughts of how you would handle the meeting later today, or maybe “Will there be a parking space at the supermarket”? It is so easy to get distracted; I do it all the time, but remember that God made the world and everything in it. He made you and me in His own likeness and, as St John said: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ John 3:16 NIV. That means we are His Beloved children so that He wants what is best for us. And so if He is prepared to do all that for us shouldn’t we spare some time for a proper conversation that involves not only talking to Him but listening to what He has to say to us.

So, please take the time to prepare properly, to put aside all distractions, to focus on your prayer, and to listen to God.

Yes, I completed my round and indeed I understand that all the houses in the parish were covered in record time.