meditation on "It's Time" #4

It’s Time #4

Early mornings are the best. Well, of course, not every day, but today for sure. But today, the early morning was a gift.

The sunrise creates an extravaganza of colors and freshness. The last few cloudless days after the rain have been sparkling.

The UNO band is splashing across the turf with tuned instruments and verve. The song I heard best was “the Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera. Love that sound.

The fall colors are most intense late in the day and in early morning. There was some fog clinging to low lying valleys and waters. The lack of wind gave it a sense of “the forest primeval.”

In the Dustin Hoffman movie, “Little Big Man”, the wise chief greets such day with the iconic: “Today is a good day to die.” Pilots of small aircraft love this time of year, as well, to rephrase that line and get into the sky, I’d say, “Today is a good day to fly.” Bikers would say, “Today is a good day to bike.” Walkers would say, “Today is a good day to stroll..“Lovers would say, “Today is a good day to share.” Protestors would say, “Today is a good day to rid the world of injustice”. Programmers might say, “Today is a good day to write some awesome code.”

You might have a phrase that works equally well. Fill in this blank: “Today is a good day to _______.

And to top it all off, Fair Trade coffee is available at the food court Starbucks Kiosk. (for more information, go to: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/coffee/background.html
Through intentional question asking (“do you serve fair trade coffee?), it has become available at UNO. If it’s not ready—just ask and they’ll brew a pot. This week, it seems to be “Mexican shade”—not as dark as Verona, but with a clean finish and no bitter taste).

All of this is real—and it’s all here. It’s time to take advantage.

The Bible story of Jacob tells about how he got real physical one morning. Someone in the night said, “Ready? Wrestle.”

The sun came up for Jacob too. Here’s his story.

Genesis 32
22The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” 31The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket, because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the thigh muscle.

You might want to take a few deep breaths and pay attention to the sun rising, and see God face to face (or at least see that the sun is up.

With rapt attention, and even with our limping, it’s possible to be awed of God in your midst.