Recently a friend who I haven’t seen in many years reached out wanting to reconnect. I was thrilled when he called, and it was so great to hear his voice. I’ve missed him a lot over the years. Then, just last week I spent some time away with my four siblings to celebrate my 50th birthday. We’re spread out around the country, so we aren’t all together regularly. But the days and nights together around the table, at the pool, on the couch, and out hiking were filled with great food, sharing stories, laughter, and reconnection and they were glorious.
Time is fleeting, or so I’ve heard from countless people over the past few weeks. But this old adage feels suffocating. I’m sure most of you can relate to life being busy, hurried, overstimulated, and overscheduled.
For quite some time I’ve been fascinated by the concept of savoring and it’s something I’ve been working on. This one word is changing me – more than I expected. To savor something means to taste it, to enjoy or appreciate it completely, especially by dwelling on it and being fully present to whatever is.
I want to do all these things, admittedly though I don’t always do it all that well. Like so many others I find myself multitasking or continually filling my schedule with more and more. I think most of us would say that we are rarely idle. And I think herein lies the problem.
For many of us the daily norm is centered around productivity and trying to cram as much as we can into every minute until there’s nothing to spare. But sometimes this makes it hard to even breathe. Savoring on the other hand involves delight, pleasure, relishing. There’s no hint of duty in savoring.
At times my life tends to be much more focused on duty than on savoring. My schedule revolves around “ought to do” more than “want to do.” And in these times duty looms large in the choices I make.
Of course, duty is important. But when life is all about duty, there is little room for delight. When a good day is defined by getting everything done on my to-do list, I leave little room for the important things – things that can’t be jotted down and crossed off a list. And this was never more evident than recently when my friend unexpectedly called and when I spent time away with my siblings.
Savoring means being fully present, and this can be in all areas of our lives not just in relationships. We can delight even in mundane things like fresh laundry, unexpected laughter, a delicious sandwich, or a sunset. There are so many things in life to savor, to delight in – if we’re willing to take the time to notice. I don’t necessarily live slow…but I’m learning. And I wonder if you would like to as well.
Savoring, living slow, delighting – they’re all part of a conscious mindset. And truthfully, it all begins by taking time to savor God. Taking time to recognize, dwell, and appreciate all that God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives is the first step. Savoring God involves being fully present and dwelling in his sacred presence. And when we lean in to God, practice his presence, pay attention to his voice, only then are we able to taste and savor the goodness God offers. And when we savor Jesus in our lives, we delight in God’s presence.
Jesus is not something we need to check off on our to-do-list and go on with our day. He is not an obligation; He is life. And the more time we spend with Him, the more spacious our life feels. Sitting unhurried with God, letting Him fill us, is the best way to savor Him. And I always find it interesting that when I am filled in this way, I also have more space than ever before.
Take a moment to reflect on the people and things in your life. Consider what it would be like if this were the last moment you had with them. If you knew this was the last time, would you appreciate them more, be more fully present in the moment, listen to them more intently, savor them more? I’m working on it, and I hope you will to. Both with God and with all that God has so graciously gifted to us.
Pastor Tony
