"Behold the Lamb of God!"

How I deeply desire the ability to practice meditation while participating in the activities of the day. For me, this is kind of like the old challenge of rubbing one's head and patting one's belly at the same time, or walking and chewing gum together. It's a challenge for me, to say the least.

Putting aside time in the morning or at night before bed to pray or be quiet before God is fine, it works well for me. It is a designated time slot, it is quiet, there are no interruptions, it is...ahhh...peace. But, where I seem to have the most trouble is, as Richard Foster puts it, "The ability to be at peace through the activiites of the day, an ability to rest and take time to enjoy beauty, an ability to pace ourselves." He goes on to say, "When a certain proficiency has been attained in the interior life, it is possible to practice meditation at any time and under almost every circumstance." What, Richard? you mean to tell me that when I have 23 students pleading for my attention at the same time, 20 emails to respond back to, a pile of work on my desk as high as the ceiling, and my computer has just melted down, that I can sink down into the light and life of Christ? What??!!

The answer is yes. God is present...always. The reality of God's presence is not dependent on where I am or what I am doing but only dependent upon the determination that I set the Lord always before me. My problem comes when I refuse to bank on the reality of His presence. He has been here all the time.

John knew this well and did this well. He could be in the midst of an activity, and was completely aware of his Father's presence. "John looking on Jesus as he walked, said, 'Behold the Lamb of God!'" God is vivid and real to him while walking (tanslation: while cleaning Mikey, while playing Mafia with campers, while jumping off the houseboat roof with jr. highers, while scrubbing dishes,). He is here, people! In the midst of our exams, homework, emails, work, noise, traffic, houseboat cleaning, potato scrubbing, camper talking, banana riding...we can say, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Bank on it.