Easter Sunday was beautiful. From the sight of the cross covered in flowers to the reminder that God brings dead things back to life, it was a time of celebration! So it goes on the day we celebrate resurrection, we expect to see beauty. Beauty is most definitely there, but sometimes we are so preoccupied that we miss it entirely. It is estimated that the average adult makes about 35,000 decisions each day. With statistics like that, along with the other demands on our time, it is no surprise that we can slip into distraction. But, as Shannan Martin shares in her book, The Ministry of Ordinary Places: Waking Up To God’s Goodness Around You:
“Simply put, we cannot love what we do not know. We cannot know what we do not see. We cannot see anything, really, until we devote ourselves to the lost art of paying attention.”
We were well into the service when I noticed a mom with her young child standing just inside the sanctuary. The size of the crowd was intimidating, and she was quietly assessing if there was a place for them. That is when I saw one of the most beautiful things on Resurrection Sunday. A man in the congregation who was paying attention invited her in. He offered his seat, and undoubtedly, that small act changed her day. He made room for her. Isn’t that what we are all called to do – make room? Who, in your day, needs to be noticed? How is God inviting you to pay attention?
– DeNeal Fowler
