It’s not every day in a current movie that one sees an unexpected Holy Moment. Remember:

A Holy Moment is a moment when you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to him. You set aside what you feel like doing in that moment, and you set aside self-interest, and for one moment you simply do what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do in that moment. – Matthew Kelly, The Biggest Lie, chapter 7

“…you set aside what you feel like doing in that moment…”

June and I had watched all the episodes of Downton Abbey when it was a television series. We didn’t see the 2019 movie made after the series closed and didn’t know that they made one just last year: Downton Abbey: A New Era, available on Amazon Prime. We watched it a few days ago.

As is typical, there were multiple plot threads, one of which involved a commercial film studio shooting a movie at the estate while most of the family went to the south of France. There was a lot of interaction between the oldest daughter, Mary, and the film director. Mary’s husband does not appear in the movie. He’s off having adventures at a car rally, and Mary confides to the director that her current marriage is not as good as her first one. (Her first husband died in a car accident.) Mary ends up saving the movie when they have to switch from silent to talkie, and the leading lady can’t talk. Mary dubs in her lines. The director falls for her, of course. Near the end there is this exchange:

• Director: May I kiss you?
• Mary: No.
• Director: Don’t you want to?
• Mary: I’m afraid I’m too old-fashioned to believe that what I want is the only thing that matters.

Lady Mary tells the director, “I’m too old-fashioned to believe that what I want is the only thing that matters.”

That will preach in an age where we’re told over and over to go with our feelings and follow our heart, etc., etc.

For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding… Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse… (Proverbs 2.6 – 12, NIV)

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10.13, NIV)

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality… (Ephesians 5.3, NIV)

Yesterday, I challenged us to turn the news into, as a friend of mine would say, “fuel for prayer.” Doing this is difficult when the news itself is “entertainment.” You don’t think so? Monday morning, I woke up to the news of a devasting earthquake in Turkey, or Turkiye, about 250 miles from where I served in 1970 – 1971, tracking satellites. As of Wednesday morning, we know that over 7,500 people were killed, and thousands of others were injured. When I clicked on the link, here’s what came up:

START THE DAY HERE in a red box at the top of the page with three stories:

• Deadly earthquake hits Turkey and Syria [Yes, that’s what I was checking on.]
• Beyoncé makes Grammy history [Really?]
• How to see February’s full snow moon [I need an article to tell me how to see the moon? Don’t I just look out the window or walk outside and look up? By the way, the moon was nice. We were driving to our son’s for dinner when it was first coming up.]

But I digress. I’m writing about the moon, when I really want to write about the silliness of juxtaposing a story of a tragic earthquake with trivialities. And that’s really what’s happening here, isn’t it? One digression (or distraction) after another.

What’s the opposite of “digression”? I thought of “focus,” or “staying on course.” I looked up digression in a thesaurus to see what the antonyms were. There were 22 synonyms but only three antonyms: “go direct,” “stay,” and “be direct.” But that makes sense. If you’re on a hiking trail, there are many ways to go off the trail but only one way to stay on it. If you’re working on a project, there are many possible digressions, but only a few ways to make progress at any given point.

I looked up entertainment: “the action of providing or being provided with amusement…” “Amusement” definitions list “distraction” as a synonym, so we come full circle. And isn’t the root of “amusement” a-muse or not thinking?

I guess the takeaway is that we will have to be focused and intentional if we want to use our time well. There are endless opportunities for digressing into entertainment and amusement even if we’re trying to keep up with important news.

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD…For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil. (Proverbs 1.28 – 33, NKJV)

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6.16, NIV)

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise. (Ephesians 5.15, NIV)

Yesterday, I talked about holy moments:

A Holy Moment is a moment when you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to him. You set aside what you feel like doing in that moment, and you set aside self-interest, and for one moment you simply do what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do in that moment. – Matthew Kelly, The Biggest Lie, chapter 7

Matthew Kelly claims we can change the world with enough holy moments, but I wrote yesterday that even if we can’t, we can certainly change our corner of the world.

That said, let’s go back to the original premise and look at an illustration that makes changing the world through holy moments more plausible.

We haven’t had a lot of snow here in Monument, Colorado, this year, and many times I’ve gone out to my driveway (I like a snow-free driveway) and swept what appeared to be a minuscule amount – as little as a 1/2-inch sometimes. I think to myself, “This is no problem. It’s cold, the snow is dry, I can sweep it right off in no time.”

I’m always amazed, however, at how the snow accumulates when I push it to the edges of the driveway. It’s an appreciable amount of snow! Six inches or more when piled up in one place, and it requires shoveling to get it off the driveway and into the yard. That tiny little bit of snow wasn’t so tiny after all. Those snowflakes add up! And in major snowstorms that many parts of the country have had, it’s A LOT of snowflakes, and they really do add up!

Maybe our holy moments seem as insignificant as that many snowflakes, but enough of them…?

I am trying to discipline myself to do the small things.

• We’re commanded to pray for our leaders, for example:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2.1, 2, NIV)

• Can I turn the news, say, about the war against Ukraine into prayers?
• When I read about the craziness in our culture, can I turn that into a prayer?

If enough of us were to do that, wouldn’t it make a difference?

If enough of us stopped participating in the vitriol of social media and maybe published some positive stories, would that eventually make a difference?

And, of course, we continue to practice the holy moments in our corner of the world: serving, smiling, loving our neighbors…

I don’t know all the specifics, but if we each had our antenna up for opportunities for holy moments, we could change the world…again. If you’re a believer in Jesus, you are the fruit of a movement that started with 120 people in a backwater of the Roman Empire. 120! “Only 120.” Today, every building in Rome, the city that executed the Apostle Paul and countless other believers…every building in that city has a cross on it.

Therefore from one man [Abraham], and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (Hebrews 11.12, 13, ESV)

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. (Philippians 2.14 – 15, ESV)

I was reminded recently about something I’ve discussed before: Holy Moments as defined by Matthew Kelly in his book The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity.

A Holy Moment is a moment when you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to him. You set aside what you feel like doing in that moment, and you set aside self-interest, and for one moment you simply do what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do in that moment. – Matthew Kelly, The Biggest Lie, chapter 7

Matthew argues later on in the book that if enough Jesus followers did enough holy moments, we could change the world (again!). I remember a friend of mine taking issue with that premise. “It will take more than a few people doing ‘holy moments’ to get us out of the mess we’re in,” or something like that.

Interestingly, I just spent some time with that friend on his home turf, and I’ve never seen anyone practice more holy moments! For example, he greets everyone he sees and has long conversations with neighbors, including a 91-year-old legally blind lady across the street. He takes her garbage can to the street on garbage day and fetches her mail whenever he gets his. Then he sits down with her, usually for not less than 30 minutes, going over her mail and listening to her stories. Holy moments all.

And it occurred to me, it doesn’t matter if those actions change the world. They surely change his corner of the world. And that’s all any of us can be responsible for.

Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. (Titus 3.14, NASB)

Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (Matthew 5.14 – 16, MSG)

And I have another thought on holy moments changing the world. Stay tuned.

I don’t often remember dreams, and my dreams very rarely provide anything useful, but a few days ago, there was an exception. In my dream a lady (I don’t know who it was) said,

I try to live life as a series of answered prayers.

The thought struck me powerfully in my dream. I remember fumbling around (in the dream) for something to write it down with. When I woke up, the above sentence is what I recalled. I know things are coming up, I know the outcomes I would like to see, but I don’t often pray specifically about those outcomes. What if I did? Then my life would be a “series of answered prayers.”

The servant in Sunday’s story practiced this.

Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. Then he prayed, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” (Genesis 24.10 – 14, NIV)

The servant prayed specifically for success and proposed what that success would look like. Then he watched to see if it would come true and told the story to Laban:

“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful. (Genesis 24.18 – 21, NIV)

“When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master’s son.’ “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.” (Genesis 24.42 – 46, NIV)

In short, the servant experienced his mission as an answered prayer. May we do the same.

Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5.17, NIV)

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18.1, NIV)

We’ve observed that among Abraham’s primary attributes is his instant obedience. Apparently, this attitude rubbed off on his most trusted servant, unnamed in Genesis 24, which contains the beautiful story of this servant undertaking a long and treacherous journey to find a wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. (Some people just assume it’s Eliezer from Genesis 15, but the text doesn’t say so, and the events of Genesis 24 are more than 50 years later than Genesis 15.)

Anyway, Genesis 24 is a story of faith, prayer, the sovereignty of God, and guidance. (If you haven’t read it recently, I encourage you to take the time now.) After he encounters Rebekah, the wife-to-be, the servant tells Rebekah’s mother and Rebekah’s brother, Laban, the story of God’s leading. He concludes with:

I praised GOD, the God of my master Abraham who had led me straight to the door of my master’s family to get a wife for his son. (Genesis 24:48, MSG)

But the question is, will Rebekah’s family let her go? The servant needs to know:

“Now, tell me what you are going to do. If you plan to respond with a generous yes, tell me. But if not, tell me plainly so I can figure out what to do next.” (Genesis 24:49, MSG)

What is Laban’s response? Is he opposed to Rebekah’s returning with the servant to become a bride for Isaac? Apparently not:

Laban answered, “This is totally from GOD. We have no say in the matter, either yes or no. Rebekah is yours: Take her and go; let her be the wife of your master’s son, as GOD has made plain.” (Genesis 24:50 – 51, MSG)

So the servant prepared to do just that, but notice Laban’s reaction:

[The servant] and his men had supper and spent the night. But first thing in the morning they were up. He said, “Send me back to my master.” [Laban] said, “Let the girl stay a while, say another ten days, and then go.” (Genesis 24:54 – 55, MSG)

Laban was all for Rebekah’s leaving as long as she didn’t have to leave now. “Why isn’t later all right? No need to rush into these things. There are preparations to be made, parties to give. We have to get used to the idea….”

It didn’t work on the servant. He served Abraham, remember? A man known for instant obedience!

He said, “Oh, don’t make me wait! GOD has worked everything out so well—send me off to my master.” (Genesis 24:56, MSG)

I call it Labanizing. We say, “I can see why daily time with God is a good thing, but I don’t have time right now. Maybe later.” “I know I should be involved in mission, but I really don’t have time either to do it or to learn how to do it.”

How many practices are we wildly enthusiastic about as long as we don’t have to do them now? (In addition to spiritual disciplines, diet and exercise come to mind!) How many good ideas for change do we endorse as long as they don’t have to be implemented now? What personal sacrifices are we willing to make—just not right now?

When would now be a good time?

I don’t know who first said, “When would now be a good time?” Many motivational speakers and authors seem to use it, including Tony Robbins, but no matter who originated it, there’s truth in it. It’s essentially what the servant said to Laban. “Don’t make me wait!”

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6.2, ESV)

An entire chapter is devoted to Abraham’s purchasing a plot of land in which to bury Sarah. Why? The answer is here:

Sarah lived 127 years…and Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” (Genesis 23.1 – 4, ESV)

God had promised Abraham the land, but at this point, he is a “sojourner and foreigner.” The rest of the chapter goes into intricate detail about the bargaining process including the Hittites’ apparent desire to just give him the land. But Abraham insists on buying it:

Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard. So Ephron’s field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its border, were deeded over to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. (Genesis 23.16 – 18, NASB)

Why is this event important enough to merit a whole chapter? Because now Abraham is a landowner – not just a sojourner and a foreigner. It was an initial baby step of faith: one day we will own all this land, but today we own a corner of a field.

He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham,…saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the portion of your inheritance,” When they were only a few men in number, Very few, and strangers in it. (Psalm 105.7 – 12, NASB)

By faith [Abraham] went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. (Hebrews 11.9, ESV)

The story of God’s asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is a difficult one:

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22.1 – 2, NASB)

The story is difficult, but there are lessons to be applied. First, Abraham responds like he always does in Genesis: immediately.

• Leave your father and go to the land I will show you:

So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him… (Genesis 12.4, NASB)

• Circumcise all the males.

Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day, as God had said to him. (Genesis 17.23, NASB)

• Offer your son as a burnt offering.

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. (Genesis 22.3, NASB)

Instant obedience. Abraham is good at that.

We also have a strong picture of Abraham’s faith:

Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” (Genesis 22.5, NASB)

WE will worship and return to you.

Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22.7, 8, NASB)

God will provide the lamb…and he did:

Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. (Genesis 22.13, NASB)

And that’s the real lesson: God provides at the place of sacrifice:

And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide, as it is said this day, “In the mount of Yahweh it will be provided.” (Genesis 22.14, LSB)

And the story closes with affirmation of the promise…and a forecast of another day when another Father will indeed offer his one and only son as a sacrifice:

Then the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not spared your son, your only one, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have listened to My voice.” (Genesis 22.15 – 18, LSB)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3.16, NIV)

The long-awaited event arrives in Genesis 21:

The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” (Genesis 21.1 – 6, ESV)

But interestingly, there is more in this chapter about Abraham’s first son, Ishmael, the one he shouldn’t have had, than Isaac. First negative:

The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.” (Genesis 21.8 – 10, NASB)

But then the blessing:

But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. “And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.” (Genesis 21.12, 13, NASB)

And when Ishmael’s mother thinks they’re both going to die in the wilderness:

God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. “Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” (Genesis 21.17, 18, NASB)

I would have thought that when Isaac came, that would be it for the record of Ishmael. But it’s not. He not only has significant press in this chapter, he makes another appearance in chapter 25.

I don’t profess to understand it…as always, I just report it! But friends of mine who minister among Muslims make much of these blessings on Ishmael. Maybe it’s as Tiny Tim says, “God bless us, every one!”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ… (Ephesians 1.3, NASB)

I’ve mentioned often that one of my examples for the daily blog is Seth Godin, who has written over 7,000 daily blogs! Seth is a marketer by trade, but he writes on a variety of subjects, frequently challenging us to live generously and creatively. I don’t know whether or not he is a believer, but he certainly espouses Biblical principles.

Recently, he wrote this short piece on bitterness, which I reproduce in its entirety:

Bitterness Is Consistent

It will never let you down.

Bitterness is never-ending, impenetrable and refuses to negotiate. If you give it a chance, it will persist.

It lacks nuance or surprise. It’s simply a wall you can lean against, whenever you choose.

Consistency is all it has to offer, actually. – Seth Godin, January 21, 2023

Or, as my friend and Navigator mentor, the late Skip Gray used to say:

Bitterness is a pill you take and hope the other guy dies.

The Apostle Paul was clear:

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. (Ephesians 4.31, ESV)

As was the writer of the Hebrews:

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. (Hebrews 12.15, ESV)

Thanks for the reminder, Seth!