"How are you doing?" is a common greeting when we meet each other. "Hello - how are you doing?" - day after day - spoken in many different tongues to many different people. When we speak those words - do we really expect an answer - do we really have the time to engage in a conversation about another person's well being? Quite often the honest answer is no - we speak a common phrase with as little thought as we do dozens of other phrases. Phrases so common that they have almost lost all usefulness. When I am approached by an individual and they ask me how I am doing - I usually will pause - look them in the eye - and then ask if they have the time to listen to me as I tell them how I am doing. Sorry to say most people decline and retract their question with a quick "sorry I just wanted to say hello". So we use words that we do not mean for what - lack of vocabulary - lack of knowledge - lack of ???. If you ask me how I am doing - stay around for the answer - please.
When Jesus comes to us and asks us how we are doing - He expects to sit down - and be with us - totally engaged in our lives. He does not ask in a casual way - He asks out of concern. He cares about us so much - that He will put the World on hold - just to hear our answer. When we come to Jesus in prayer - in conversation - we need to give Him the same time that He offers to us. We need to put our lives - the World - on hold - so that we may make ourselves completely present to Him. When you go to your prayer space - do not do it in haste - go confident that He - the author of Love - the author of Life is sitting there - waiting for you - so that He may ask "How are You doing?"
Deacon Dale
Deacon Dale
