when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
Luke 12:55-56
When we walk outside and judge the weather for the day, it is mostly based on our past experience, so that when we feel the cooler breeze and notice the lessening of humidity, we think, "Oh yes! Time to break out the Fall boots!"
When we start a prayer, do we immediately go back to our "bucket list" of prayer intentions, or do we gather our thoughts and hearts and seek to sit in the presence of Jesus, and let Him speak first to us? The thought is this: if we are stuck in a prayer rut, praying the same prayers over and over, maybe it is time to change it up a bit, and notice something happening right at that moment, and pray for that person, or that setting, without so much worry about our own needs and past intentions.
This week's readings have been about living in the present moment. We can learn from the past, and plan for the future, but let's not foget to "hear" the here and now.
