Chris Erdman talks about his sermon preparation. I love this ...
"What matters is that I was there, present to the text and to the Trinity, present to myself and to the daily experience of the people I love and among whom I will open this text come Sunday."
For me, it was Joel yesterday. A little Hebrew word study. The day before it was 2 Corinthians 12:9 - God's grace in our weakness. Today I think it will be Amos. Psalm 38:9. A walk on the beach somewhere. Who knows! I felt the weight of God around the place yesterday ... usually means I'm to listen carefully because God wants to say something or impart something to me. I don't want to miss it!
Present to the text, the Trinity, myself, those I love ... can that be our resolve today? That attentiveness to the text, to the Trinity, to our own depths, to the currents of God flowing through the lives of those around us?
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Really interested in your use of "attentive". I've found over the last few years that one of my main topics in working with managers is getting them to be more attentive.
It's a relational word and action isn't it?
I prefer it to 'being present' although I understand your use of both to be similar
Posted by: Caroline | July 16, 2005 at 04:19 AM
Thanks for that ... I think they are related but different in some subtle way I can't quite express.
It is certainly a relational word - attentiveness implies connectedness, as does being "fully present".
I think Chris Erdman's usage of "fully present" would fully qualify for the use of the term "attentiveness" too.
If they are the same, they both imply that we don't miss what is happening around us, whether it is beauty to be enjoyed, lessons to learn, insights to grasp, divine words to listen to, dangers to avoid, needs to meet, etc etc.
Posted by: Richard L | July 16, 2005 at 09:00 AM
and it's one of the greatest gifts we can offer others, imho...
(but, irony of ironies, I'm commenting while failing to be attentive in any way to the sermon I have to deliver tomorrow evening)
Posted by: Kathryn | July 16, 2005 at 12:14 PM
To be attentive we need to listen actively. We need to observe - look for, see and hear the nuances.
It's as important one on one with people as with the Word of God.
I loved this phrase too :)
Posted by: Lorna | July 17, 2005 at 04:09 PM