Saturday, July 01, 2006

The place for grace

I spent half of yesterday sitting in a hospital waiting room. I don't really like hospitals - at all - but I don't mind the waiting rooms so much.

At first I read from Scot McKnights book PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH. It looks good; probably something I need (though I developed an attitude reading one of his comments to a commentor on his blog today - another story). At any rate, I began to notice the others in the waiting area. As people were chit-chatting, or watching TV or whatever... it occurred to me, this is a place of grace. How many people probably sit in waiting areas of hospitals calling out to God; silently praying to him; seeking him? Many are nervous, anxious, out of their normal scene... and what an opportunity to silently pray for others. Just kind of glancing prayers; or prayers for those in surgery, or in recovery, or those who are working there. Perhaps I should make some time to visit these places, and share some grace, say some prayers, try to bring the presence of the Holy if I can.

I read this in McKnights book (p.27) from G.K. Chesterton:
You say grace before meals
All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before the concert and pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, foxing, walking, playing, dancing,
And grace before I dip the pen in ink.

Grace isn't just for meals. A simple acknowledgment of God in our day shouldn't be so extraordinary, should it?

Just a thought. Grace and peace.

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