First Presbyterian Church of Flint

Yesterday’s worship emphasized the barriers we create between God and ourselves. In our lives those barriers center around our over stimulated lives and our numbing ourselves with pacifiers.

Our lives are filled with so much noise of our multitasking that we can not hear the still small voice of God. We write e-mails while talking on the phone. Web text and videos fill our consciousness instead of conversations. While driving we schedule appointments with the radio playing. The television runs while we have an “intimate” conversation with our spouse. Face book, tweets, im’s, texts, alerts, e-mails bombard us constantly. In the midst of the cacophony, we pride ourselves in our ability to multitask.

Studies at MIT, U of M, and Stanford show that there is no such thing as multitasking. The brain has to switch back and forth from these activities losing significant information. The studies also show that the people who are multitasking the most have more disorganized brains. They ignore relevant information, organize inefficiently, and switch back and forth slower. Filling our lives with media activity seems to disorganize us. It is a small step to admit that the multitasking could keep us from hearing God.

Another barrier to God is that when we are too tired, too sad, or too afraid we pacify ourselves with distractions so that we prevent God from speaking to us through exploring the reasons for our feelings. We turn to filling ourselves up with murder mysteries, face book, reruns, chocolates, or a bottle of wine. Consequently, we fail to hear God’s voice.

Yesterday’s Gospel passage told us of Jesus’ temptations. Jesus said no to the barriers of food, favors, and fantasy so he could hear clearly God’s call to the ministry of self giving. This season of Lent gives us an opportunity to fast from some of the barriers we have created and feast on God’s way. I have adapted and added to a list from an unknown author.

• Fast from food; Feast on the word of God
• Fast from seeking favors; Feast on helping others
• Fast from the media (fantasy); Feast on relationships
• Fast from the need for attention; Feast on attending the need of others
• Fast from indifference; Feast on the difference we can make
• Fast from dwelling on mistakes of the past; Feast on what they have taught you
• Fast from family feuds; Feast on family prayer
• Fast from searching for happiness; Feast on bringing happiness to others
• Fast from cynicism; Feast on hope
• Fast from predictability; Feast on an open spirit
• Fast from talking; Feast on listening
• Fast from false security; Feast on an abiding trust in God
• Fast from negatives; Feast on positives
• Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness
• Fast from anxiety; Feast on trust
• Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation
• Fast from worry; Feast on blessings
• Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude
• Fast from pride; Feast on humility
• Fast from childishness; Feast on childlikeness
• Fast from the struggle to reshape the world; Feast on the peace of God

May in the fasting and feasting of Lent you hear the still small voice of God.