The first day of class is over, the semester has started, and after-school activities have begun! It is an exciting and stressful time when the rhythm of each week takes on a quick pace, or even a demanding march. The time for preparation has passed, and now we are trying to keep up with the tasks of each week.
Often times, we see each activity as part of this rhythm, an ongoing routine of each week, but we might also consider certain regular activities as interruptions to this pace. It is not just because they feel different. It is because we use time differently in them.
When we gather at Auburn First Baptist for worship, fellowship, or study, it is meant to interrupt the fast-paced rhythm of each week. It can slow us down and bend time towards a different use. It is not another task on our to-do list. It gathers us together, so we are rooted in something greater!
As we worship, pray, and grow together, we focus on the steadfast love of God, which anchors us. It gives us time to grow our roots, which hold us steady as the pace of each week exceeds our intentions, or we are taken aback by a storm in our lives.
Roots grow slowly, and over time. We do not see them growing, but we can cultivate time for them to grow. The strength of a tree is found in its roots. The root system has to grow wider than its branches. The root system of multiple trees might even grow together, providing extra strength!
As we begin this academic year, we can gather with the church in various ways. We can gather with others in worship. We can connect with a Sunday School class. We can join Round Table or Connecting Faith & Family. We can put Sunday Night Youth Group on our calendar or stay for Bible Encounter. We can meet a friend from church for coffee or ask about mission opportunities. We can find ways to interrupt the fast-paced rhythm of each week for our roots to grow.
-Tripp