Learning To Linger

Jan 21, 2023

A week or so ago, I was rushing around on a Wednesday morning.

I woke up late, construction was happening at my house, my car needed to be dropped off at the mechanic, and I needed to get into work to prepare for a meeting. The first two hours of the morning were chaotic and rushed, without a moment to stop, until I was making the walk from my mechanic’s shop to work - luckily he’s located just a few minutes from the church. As I was walking over, I finally had a moment to pause… the first one since I had opened my eyes that morning.

I realized I had been in such a rush that I hadn’t done my morning devotional.

Of course, I hurriedly listened to worship music as I got ready, but there wasn’t any space to sit with God and wait for Him to speak. I chuckled to myself because a few nights prior I had been complaining to a friend, “I want to hear God’s voice more. I want to be more in tune with Him. Why isn’t He speaking?” As I made the walk through Webb Park over to the church, I could feel God nudging me: “Maybe you aren’t hearing Me because you never make time to listen.”

I could have given a thousand excuses - the construction, my alarm didn’t go off, my car, the workload - but really at the end of the day, I am the only one who has the power to pick if I make time for God. There will always be something: a work task you could be completing, a chore you have to do.

But no matter the day or schedule, I always get to choose if God comes first.

As I walked through Webb Park, a quiet little pond that almost acts as an oasis in the middle of commercialized shopping centers in RB, I noticed an older gentleman slowly walking around the pond, dropping bird food for the ducks. He was slow and steady and lingered with each step. Waiting and watching as the ducks would run to him and nibble at the pellets, and then taking a few more steps to repeat the routine.

His pace was so contrary to how my entire morning had been that it stopped me in my tracks.

I paused for a moment and just watched him, feeling my heart rate slow, my breathing become more even, my nervous system regulating just from taking a moment to slow down. As I watched him, I thought about how “other” his behavior was. On a weekday morning at 9am you mostly see people rushing. Driving to work, running to school, crossing off tasks, making calls. But one man in a city of people who are always racing to the next thing was pausing, making space, slowing down, and lingering.

Now granted, some of our schedules don’t accommodate a walk around a duck pond at 9am on a Wednesday morning. But I bet there’s some space, even just a little, where there might be room to slow down. I think there’s power in learning to linger. Learning to stop and watch the birds, stop and hear the wind rustling through the trees, stop and wait for the voice of God to pierce through the noise.

That’s what happened for me that Wednesday morning. I felt His presence as I stood at the pond watching ducks eat.

I wonder where you might feel Him or see Him or hear Him when you make some space to linger? What if you lingered during your time with Him? What if you waited for Him to show up?

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

- 2 Peter 3:8-9

2 Peter 3 speaks to those who eagerly await Christ’s return, but reminds us that we often misunderstand how He works. God’s timing isn’t our timing. He isn’t late or missing the mark. He moves patiently with His people. He isn’t rushed because He is fully in control.

Maybe we’re rushed because we’re afraid that we’re not in control - or we’re not fully trusting that He is. But if God has space to be patient, I’m sure we do, too. If God has space to linger, I’m sure we do, too. And if we do, I’m sure we will know and hear and encounter God in a deeper way.

This week, clear your schedule one morning. Put 30 minutes on the calendar. Turn off the Netflix at the end of the night - make a little space to linger. Walk around a duck pond. Sit in your backyard and breathe. Read one verse and then read it again and then read it again.