Every day in recent weeks, I have read an online daily reflection, a "today's prayer" sort of selection. Many days, the reflection includes a psalm. And on many of the days with a psalm, the particular text is Psalm 95, which I didn't catch onto right away.
As I read "do not grow stubborn... as your fathers did in the wilderness" yet another time, I realized something. For me, it didn't matter the reason for Psalm 95's reoccurrence as the selected daily prayer. What mattered was that I finally saw that in my haste - my fast-paced reading and lack of absorbing - I hadn't taken the time to let the words sink in.
This hurried approach to starting the day - rushing through a Bible reading or reflection - reminds me of the approach to Christmas, as it often occurs. Hurry up: Get your shopping done, travel plans made, cards in the mail. Keep up with work.
This can be exhausting. Where is the calm? Where is the bright?
Christa Orfitelli, a mental health therapist, is an usher at the 11:45 service.
