Centering

I'm after love that lasts, not more religion.
I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.
Hosea 6:6, The Message

This coin is called a widow's mite because of the story of the widow who put two copper coins in the Temple Treasury. Jesus said that she gave out of sacrifice not of abundance and that her gift was worth more than the others given. The coin is actually a Prutah, an equivalent to a penny. It has value, but not much. But what I want you to see is how the coin is struck. It's off center.

When this coin was used, its value didn't depend on its perfectness. A prutah was a prutah, kind of like a penny is a penny whether it is a shiny, new 2007 or a 1943 beat up and discolored copper. But there is a difference in lasting value. You can buy a prutah today like the one above for about $15. But if you find one that is struck in the center, that is more "perfect" then you will pay $35-75. And if you find that 1943 copper penny, it could be worth in excess of $85,000! (Obviously it is a very rare thing.)

Had the prutah's strike been centered, the coin would have more lasting value.

Centering is critical.

Centering is also intentional and takes time and effort.

It's what God wants most from us, to center our lives on Him!

Many times (if not much of our lives) we go through the motions of faith, or more realistically we go through the motions of religion. Relationally we are far from God even though we might work at growing in knowledge and in practice. But God never wanted religious shows or music that caresses our ears and soothes our soul. God never wanted spilled blood or burnt flesh as sacrifices. God wanted us, the real us, the present us and still does.

Centering is the practice of focusing our mind and heart and soul on God. It can be a daily prayer, a practice of reading scripture, a devotional, a time of quiet meditation that has no other purpose than focusing on God as our goal. It is a practice of relating to God, of being with God.

Life is complicated and for most of us a bit crazy. And while getting life under control may be our goal, we find it next to impossible to do. It's because we need to re-center on God. And while that may not "fix" the complex life we lead, it does something to our spirit, it calms and reassures us that God is in control, at the center, where God has always longed to be.

Peace ><>
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