Availability: "The One Thing Necessary"

Last night at Theophany we shifted our focus from the Apostles' Creed and began considering three practical, spiritual disciplines for the Lenten season. We'll have three services at Theophany during Lent, and I believe that we needed some practical messages that keep us in sync with the church year. Last night we talked about the discipline of availability, two weeks from now we'll reflect upon the Sabbath, and we'll consider the discipline of praise and adoration on Palm Sunday.

As I was thinking a bit further this morning about the discipline of being available to Christ and to one another, I was amazed at the simplicity of this discipline. Availability does not need great analysis, nor does it require an extensive theological discussion. At a very basic level, we need to ask the question, "am I available to simply be with Christ and be with my family and friends?"

Sounds easy enough, right? As I mentioned last night, availability is the most challenging discipline that Americans face these days, given the frantic chaos that comes with every week's schedule. We're not inclined to be uninformed about things; we are inclined to be unavailable, though.

I was thinking about the word itself today and was struck by the message of the very word itself. Availability is actually a compound word. Separate them and you have "avail" and "ability." When we look at it that way, we get a purere defintion--being "available" means that I am able to avail myself from one thing for something more important. This sounds quite different than the common refrain most people say about their schedules, "I'm not able to cut anything (avail) out.

I believe that the Gospel defines what is not only more important than our schedules, but what is most important on our schedules. Jesus called it the Great Commandments, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." In other words, I believe Christ is calling us to recognize that we are able to avail ourselves to obey and honor the Great Commandments, if we will trust him with what I call "sacred subtraction." Sacred subtraction is taking our weekly routines and schedules to the Lord and asking what needs to be taken away that a) is not fulfilling the Great Commandments and b) is making my life crazy, and making me tired and exhausted.

Before I say much more about this subject, I think it's high time we begin a dialogue, not an extended monologue from me. What thoughts do you have on this subject? How does this discipline of "sacred subtraction" speak to you based on your experience?

I look forward to hearing what thoughts will come from a conversation such as this...

Peace.

Jack