Embracing the Slow Work of God's Love

 

Summary

In our fast-paced world, we often find ourselves rushing through life, eager to reach our goals and achieve success. However, there is profound wisdom in embracing the slow work of God. This concept, beautifully captured in a prayer by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, reminds us to trust in the gradual unfolding of our lives. We are naturally impatient, wanting to skip the intermediate stages and reach the end without delay. Yet, true progress is made through stages of instability, and it may take a long time. Our ideas and spirits mature gradually, and we must allow them to grow without undue haste.

Teilhard de Chardin, a paleontologist and Jesuit, understood the patience required in both his scientific work and spiritual journey. His insights encourage us to accept the anxiety of feeling incomplete and in suspense, trusting that God's hand is leading us. This perspective frees us from the pressure of being in a hurry, allowing us to exist within the vast tapestry of God's creation.

Similarly, a Japanese theologian's concept of the "three-mile-an-hour God" emphasizes that God moves slowly because He is love. Love has its own speed, different from the technological pace we are accustomed to. It is a spiritual speed that governs all other speeds, moving at the pace of human walking. This speed of love is present in the depths of our lives, whether we notice it or not.

In our daily lives, we can practice trusting the slow love of God by being present in the moment. Whether it's noticing a child's smile or walking slowly, these practices help us align with God's pace. The Bible doesn't instruct us to run with God but to walk with Him, as He walked in the cool of the day in the Garden. This image of walking with God is a beautiful reminder of His love and attention, which we can receive as a gift.

Key Takeaways:

- Embrace the slow work of God, allowing your ideas and spirit to mature gradually without rushing through life. Trust that God's hand is leading you, even when you feel incomplete or in suspense. [02:38]

- The concept of the "three-mile-an-hour God" teaches us that God's love moves at a different speed than our fast-paced world. This spiritual speed is slow yet governs all other speeds, reminding us to align with God's pace. [07:49]

- Practicing presence in daily life, such as noticing a child's smile or walking slowly, helps us trust the slow love of God. These moments allow us to align with God's pace and receive His love and attention. [08:58]

- The Bible encourages us to walk with God, not run. This image of walking with God in the cool of the day is a beautiful reminder of His love and attention, which we can receive as a gift. [09:54]

- Time is a gift, not just a commodity. By slowing down and embracing the present moment, we can appreciate the fleeting beauty of life and trust in the slow work of God. [10:58]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - Greeting Gentle People
[00:59] - Made to Count
[01:12] - The Slow Work of God
[02:21] - Trusting God's Timing
[03:23] - Patience and Perspective
[04:20] - Anxiety and Incompleteness
[05:08] - Generational Pressures
[06:03] - The Three-Mile-An-Hour God
[07:34] - The Speed of Love
[08:17] - Practicing Presence
[09:23] - Walking with God
[10:11] - Attention as Love
[10:42] - Time as a Gift
[11:13] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 8:4 - "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"
2. Genesis 3:8 - "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..."
3. Exodus 34:6 - "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the prayer by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin suggest about the nature of progress and growth in our lives? [02:05]

2. How does the concept of the "three-mile-an-hour God" challenge our usual perception of speed and progress? [07:34]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest we can practice being present in our daily lives? [08:29]

4. How does the image of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day relate to the idea of God's love and attention? [09:54]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the idea of "trusting the slow work of God" change one's perspective on personal and spiritual growth? [02:38]

2. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between love and speed, particularly in the context of God's love? [07:49]

3. How does the sermon address the anxiety of feeling incomplete or in suspense, and what reassurance does it offer? [04:20]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that time is a gift rather than a commodity, and how does this perspective affect our daily lives? [10:42]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt impatient with your personal or spiritual growth. How can you apply the concept of "trusting the slow work of God" to that situation? [02:38]

2. The sermon mentions the "three-mile-an-hour God" as a metaphor for God's love. How can you align your daily pace with this concept of love? [07:49]

3. Identify a moment in your daily routine where you can practice being present, such as noticing a child's smile or taking a slow walk. How can this practice help you align with God's pace? [08:58]

4. Consider the image of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. How can you create moments in your life to "walk with God" and experience His love and attention? [09:54]

5. How can you shift your perspective to see time as a gift rather than a commodity? What changes might this perspective bring to your daily life? [10:58]

6. Think of a specific area in your life where you feel incomplete or in suspense. How can you trust that God's hand is leading you through this uncertainty? [04:20]

7. Reflect on the pressures of achieving success quickly in today's world. How can you find peace in the gradual unfolding of your life as described in the sermon? [05:08]

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting the Slow Work of God
In a world that values speed and efficiency, it can be challenging to embrace the slow work of God. This concept encourages us to trust in the gradual unfolding of our lives, allowing our ideas and spirits to mature without rushing. We often feel incomplete or in suspense, but it is in these moments that we must trust that God's hand is leading us. Teilhard de Chardin, a paleontologist and Jesuit, understood the patience required in both his scientific work and spiritual journey. His insights remind us to accept the anxiety of feeling incomplete, trusting that God's timing is perfect. By embracing this perspective, we free ourselves from the pressure of being in a hurry and learn to exist within the vast tapestry of God's creation. [02:38]

"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel impatient? How can you practice trusting God's timing in this area today?


Day 2: The Speed of Love
The concept of the "three-mile-an-hour God" teaches us that God's love moves at a different speed than our fast-paced world. This spiritual speed is slow yet governs all other speeds, reminding us to align with God's pace. Love has its own speed, different from the technological pace we are accustomed to. It is a spiritual speed that moves at the pace of human walking, present in the depths of our lives whether we notice it or not. By aligning with this speed, we can experience the depth of God's love and presence in our lives. [07:49]

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you slow down today to align with the speed of God's love? How might this change your interactions with others?


Day 3: Practicing Presence
In our daily lives, we can practice trusting the slow love of God by being present in the moment. Whether it's noticing a child's smile or walking slowly, these practices help us align with God's pace. The Bible doesn't instruct us to run with God but to walk with Him, as He walked in the cool of the day in the Garden. This image of walking with God is a beautiful reminder of His love and attention, which we can receive as a gift. By practicing presence, we open ourselves to the slow love of God and the beauty of the present moment. [08:58]

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one simple activity you can do today to practice being present? How can this help you experience God's love more deeply?


Day 4: Walking with God
The Bible encourages us to walk with God, not run. This image of walking with God in the cool of the day is a beautiful reminder of His love and attention, which we can receive as a gift. Walking with God means being in step with His pace, allowing us to experience His presence and guidance in our lives. It is a reminder that we are not alone, and that God's love and attention are always with us. By walking with God, we can find peace and assurance in His presence. [09:54]

"And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." (Genesis 5:24, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally walk with God today? What steps can you take to ensure you are in step with His pace?


Day 5: Time as a Gift
Time is a gift, not just a commodity. By slowing down and embracing the present moment, we can appreciate the fleeting beauty of life and trust in the slow work of God. This perspective allows us to see time as an opportunity to experience God's love and presence in our lives. By viewing time as a gift, we can find joy and gratitude in the present moment, trusting that God is at work in our lives. [10:58]

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you view time as a gift today? What changes can you make to appreciate the present moment more fully?

Quotes


Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new, and yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability and that it may take a very long time. [00:01:48]

And so I think it is with you. Your ideas mature gradually. Let them grow, let them shape themselves without undue haste. Do not force them on as though you could be today what time, that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will, will make of you tomorrow. Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming in you will be. [00:02:18]

Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete. [00:02:41]

The fact that he worked with, you know, bones and fossils and things that took tens of thousands of years to be discovered that were kind of waiting to be excavated means I think he knew something about patience and the way that the world worked and the way that we are not the center of it in the way that we or I often so like to think we are. [00:03:07]

This idea that we can exist and we can know that God is mindful of us and there's no pressure in that. We are part of a very large tapestry. I love that and there's just such a sense of Freedom the way that you talk about it, that I don't have to be in a hurry because if I'm in a hurry there's always this sense of pressure that's attention. [00:03:53]

I find that God goes slowly in his educational process of man. We would say human beings 40 years later. We would be PC about it. Okay, oh thank you for laughing in my attempts to try to be like aware. Oh yeah, I'd like a way like aware. Okay, 40 years in the wilderness as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted points to his basic educational philosophy. [00:06:24]

God walks slowly because he is love. If he is not love, he would have gone much faster. Love has its speed. It is an inner speed. It is a spiritual speed. It is a different kind of speed from the technological speed to which we were accustomed. It is slow yet it is Lord over all other speeds since it is the speed of love. [00:07:12]

It goes on in the depth of our life whether we notice it or not, whether we are currently hit by storm or not, at three miles an hour. It is the speed we walk, and therefore it is the speed the love of God walks. [00:07:46]

I think one of the things like thinking of that three mile an hour God, Walking with God again, that's not something that yeah it's interesting the Bible doesn't say run with God. No, and the Bible doesn't say run with God. [00:09:15]

There is something about like physically restraining myself from when I feel like I'm in a hurry and active and need to go go go. If I can slow my body down through breathing or through walking slowly and then think about God Walking In The Garden in What's The Phrase the cool of the day, like that's so beautiful and where else do I want to be in my life but they are walking with God. [00:09:36]

Attention is love, you know, it's focused love and I can receive that from God. That's a practice that helps me. [00:10:31]

Time as a precious commodity instead of a gift, and it's a gift so take a deep breath today three miles an hour because the moment when you see your little baby smile at you goes real fast and then you wish you had it back. They never come back but another one comes and another one comes. [00:10:44]

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Transcript
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