As I said, last week I took dad's golf clubs out and 'pitched' some golf ball across the yard. The seven white golf balls weighed down my cargo shorts pocket and made the act of swinging noticeably different. So I sought a solution. . .
I found a small, mesh zip-up bag in the closet to hold all of dad's (now my) golf balls safely.
Walking into the shed I unzipped the blue golf bag and began to grab fist-fulls of white golf balls (and one yellow one). I placed them into the new white mesh bag and closed it up. Slowly the bag became fuller and fuller. With all my little treasures rolling around in the bag, I confidently walked into the yard to practice some more.
I had gathered my treasures; my tools.
The bag made a distinctive thud as it hit the ground; the balls bounced off each other in the bag but they could not escape. Then one after another I took one out, and hit them across the yard. Then when I was done, I placed them back in the bag-- and eventually back on the table.
The act of gathering these little white golf balls was enjoyable. Dad's bag always seemed to have just one more golf ball should I lose one or need one. The act of gathering was a practice in memory as much as it was a practice of hope--a hope that I would remember the lessons that he taught me years ago.
In this way my story carries a sense of spirituality.
When I come before God, or as I prepare to meet God devotionally, I practice gathering the things that I will need. My Bible. A journal. A pen. My devotional book. They are all needed.
But I also need to gather before the Lord myself, my attention, my presence, my struggles. I need to deliberately think about the baggage that I will take into my time with God. For all that I bring with me before God will impact how God and I spend our time.
I wonder how you practice gathering before the Lord today?
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