And the door was shut

It was one of those days.  Nothing was going right.  My alarm went off and I hit snooze a few to many times.  When I finally registered the time I realized that I HAD to get up and get moving like 5 minutes ago.  I rushed out of bed, threw on my clothes, and woke my children.  I scoured the kitchen for some sort of quick, portable food that they could eat for breakfast.  Granola bars and fruit to the rescue!  We managed to get out the door and lucked in to favorable traffic conditions (thank you God!) and arrived ON TIME at our co-op classes.  

Only, after we entered I realized that I had forgotten my knitting bag.  Now, I know that doesn't sound like a big deal but I was working on a project that had a deadline.  I only assist with one class at co-op and I had planned to spend my down time making some serious headway on the project, only in my haste to get out the door, I had left it behind. Now I wasn't sure if I would be able to complete the project by the deadline.

It seems that being in a hurry is a problem that goes back at least as far as Jesus' time.  He told a story in Matthew about a group of bridesmaids that were preparing for the bridegroom.  You see, during Jesus time couples got engaged and then the future husband returned home and began building a home for his wife.  Only when the home was complete, and his father had approved it, was he able to return for the wedding ceremony.  Jesus tells the story that these bridesmaids went out to meet the groom.  In my mind they left in a hurry, anxious to get the party started.  Half grabbed extra oil for their lamps and the other half rushed out without it.  The groom was delayed, Jesus reported, and the bridesmaids fell asleep.  When they awoke those who had rushed out without getting the extra oil had to leave to find a vendor and purchase more.  Verse 10 says, "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut."  The bridesmaids were not permitted to enter when they returned.  Ouch!  

Jesus goes on to explain that the message of this parable was to be watchful for His return, since we don't know when it might be.  I have to admit, when I get hurried with the things of this world, my watchfulness level goes down and my focus shifts to what needs done RIGHT NOW instead.  It's a backwards way to live...and has been for some time.  

There is an old Latin saying, festina lente, which means make haste slowly.  Sounds kind of weird, but when you think about it, it makes sense.  You see, when we get in a hurry we make mistakes.  We walk out of the house without our knitting bag, or even worse we lose sight of what is really important - Jesus.  But when we take the time to focus in the midst of our haste on the details that are important, we don't find ourselves without our knitting bag.  Or worse yet, standing on the outside of that shut door.   

*originally published at Coffee with Christ