by Melissa Cox*
ONE of the things I have realised of late, is that life is hectic.
What begins as an ordinary day can turn into a colossal nightmare once I walk into the office and turn my computer on.
My daily routine begins with collecting the e-mails from my inbox and doing a sort through. Some are immediately deleted, others are opened and read with glee, others still are stored in appropriate folders for prosperity sake – the modern day shoe box!
Some days I receive what feels like a hundred e-mails that have been forwarded to me by friends (and sometimes strangers) from all corners of the globe. I have little time to sit and read them thoroughly, and often I delete the e-mails that look all too long and complex, or seem that they have been forwarded from some unknown source. There are some days when I all too quickly delete what could turn out to be an important e-mail, and in doing so, I wonder am I also deleting what could possibly be an enormous blessing to me?
I recently received and read two e-mails which spoke powerfully of God’s love for each of us. They contained separate stories of God’s love demonstrated in our world. These e-mails reminded me of the selfless love that I have the potential to share each day.
After reflecting on my morning e-mail routine, I have begun to see how my e-mail management can be a bit like life. How often do I all too quickly delete from my day the important things like prayer and the sacraments, perhaps with the excuse that I am too busy? Do I forget how important service is to others and how I can receive as much as I give when I serve others. Do I delete recognising God’s presence in my day when it is convenient to me, and only look to God when I am in need? On the days when I make a choice to not delete God from my daily events, I am more aware of God’s love and blessed through taking time to pray and consider how I could live for God that day.
In this Year of Jubilee, we can be challenged to do something a little extra for God. Perhaps taking some time to pray each day, getting involved with your parish or to visit a person who is sick in hospital. Perhaps you might take a personal retreat. Perhaps today is the day to choose not to delete what is vital to us as Christians, our need for prayer, for the sacraments, for service to others and above all our need for God.
* Melissa Cox works with the National Evangelisation Teams (NET) office in Brisbane. NET is currently recruiting volunteers to work in youth ministry in 2001.
