Do you know where you are in time and space?

I was allowed to sit in on a rehearsal at UNCA (www.unca.edu ) recently with my friend the director and observe her as she worked with collegiate actors. She may be one of the best coaches of young adults I have ever seen. They respond to her with enthusiasm and true respect. I am sure that comes from the vulnerability and authenticity with which she presents herself, her material and her direction. She aptly separates the critical direction of their performance from their identity. During the evening’s rehearsal, at every pause or scene change, she would ask a question that caught me off guard. Having done several plays and productions throughout high school and early in college I had never heard this type of centering used. It seems to me that it speaks to life as much as it does to theater. She would have them stand perfectly still for a few seconds, close their eyes and ask them “Do you know where you are in time and space?”

That is a question that could be used during any time of spiritual retreat. In the midst of crammed calendars and packed Palm Pilots we never stop to assess our global positioning. We do not stop and look around at the scene that is our life and determine where we are in time and space. What season are we in, where are we heading, what is God attempting to teach us by the circumstance and situation in which we find ourselves? Not only do we not assess where we are, but we do not take time to see where the others in our lives may be. Why has God brought this person into my life at this time? Why are we called during these days to journey together?

The author of Ecclesiastes reminds us that that for everything in life there is a time and a season. There are times to dance, sing, laugh, cry, mourn and dance. We are where we are because of God’s sense of time. Time is a demonstration of value. That which you value you invest time in. Time, being the only resource that is not replaceable, is your most precious gift. If we do not know where we are or stop and see what God is trying to convey to us we will squander God’s most precious gift.

Forgive me, gracious God for not stopping to assess where I am in time and space. God grant me the wisdom to reflect, the courage to assess and the ability to discern where it is that I am to be so that I can better hear your voice about where I am to go. In the name of Jesus, Amen.