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As I’ve been reflecting on the Transfiguration story, one part keeps sticking with me. While Jesus was praying, the disciples fell asleep (Luke 9:28-32). One reason they must have fallen asleep is that Jesus was in really long, deep prayer. He wasn’t offering a quick word before a meal or a passing thought before moving on to the next thing—He was fully engaged, fully present with God. And that makes me wonder—how long do we actually pray? Do we just pray long enough to say what we need to say? Do we pray long enough to hear what God is saying back? Do we pray long enough to actually step away from all the noise and busyness of life?

Then I read something Rev. Dr. Mary Brown from Central UMC wrote about how we read our Bibles. She compared it to reading a fitness magazine:

“I love a good fitness magazine! I love reading about healthy eating habits, strength training over 40, training for your next marathon… I feel healthier just reading this stuff! Most often, I pick up these magazines in a waiting room or at the airport—somewhere I’m stuck for a while. And then, when my name is called or my flight is over, I put the magazine down and… and I go on living exactly like I was before. Chick-fil-A milkshake, please! Reading these magazines doesn’t make anyone healthier – unless they do what the magazine says. Then it could actually kinda change your life. This is even more true when it comes to the Bible. It’s great that we’ve learned how to read our Bibles; now we’re ready to do our Bibles – to put it into action.”

 

That hit me. How often do we treat our faith like that? We read the Bible or pray when we happen to have some spare time, but then we move on without really letting it change us. Are we spending enough time in the things that truly sustain us?

I’ll admit—I’m much more of a doer than a be-er. Sitting still isn’t my natural state. I’ve had to learn the value of simply being—not thinking about my to-do list, not planning the next thing, but just being present. One of the few places I do this well is when I visit someone in the hospital or at home. In those moments, I’m all in. The rest of the world fades away, and I’m fully present with the person in front of me. I think that’s why chaplaincy is another calling for me—it forces me to slow down, to focus, to be. And those moments? They’re holy.

Ash Wednesday is just around the corner, and Lent invites us into a season of slowing down and drawing close to God. It’s a time to be intentional—to pray long enough to listen, to read Scripture in a way that actually shapes us, to make space for God in a way that transforms us. Join us on Ash Wednesday at 6 PM in the Chapel as we begin this journey together—setting aside time to be present, to listen, and to seek God in a deeper way.

So, let’s not just think about faith like we do when flipping through a magazine. Let’s actually live it. Let’s lean in. Let’s give God the time and space to do something new in us.  See you Sunday!

Peace, Pastor Tracy