Slow Down!

 

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1:35-42 ESV).

 

As I have mentioned, Mary and I enjoyed our drive to Georgia where we spent some time with David and his family. The cabin was in the mountains, and it was both fun and restful to be with them. On the drive we noticed that many gas station names highlight how quickly we could fill up and get on our way: “On the Run,” “QuikTrip,” “QuikStop.” Of course, being “in a hurry” did not keep us from stopping at all three Buccees along the way. If you have ever been in one of these massive “gas stations” you know that “quick” is not a word that will describe your stop. However, the stop is always worth it. There are those times when speed is essential. Although I have come to realize that slowing down allows me to experience life in a much different way. Perhaps the sloth in our meme today does indeed have it right.

 

Our reading today indicates some of that. When John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to two of his own disciples, they followed Jesus and asked him, “Where are you staying?” When Jesus invited them to come and see, “they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him.”

 

For the disciples and Jesus, there was no other pressing responsibility. They simply stopped what they were doing to spend the time with Jesus. And what began with an awkward, sandal-shuffling question ended up as one of the richest days of their lives. Lent is a good time to slow down and spend some time with “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).