Can We Spare a Minute for God?

An interesting article in the Los Angeles Times cited by Mark Roberts here, entitled, "A closer, faster walk with thee". Here's a taste:

So you're racing through another jam-packed day, late picking up the kids from basketball practice because you got stuck at the office. You still have to pay the bills, walk the dog and perhaps grab cold pizza before collapsing into bed.

When do you ever find time for God?

One publisher has the answer: "The One Minute Bible, Day by Day," whose brief readings promise to inspire your "daily walk with the Lord."

Or check out "5 Minute Theologian: Maximum Truth in Minimum Time."

Because man does not live by bread alone -- and might be tempted to eat on the run -- there's "Aunt Susie's 10-Minute Bible Dinners: Bringing God Into Your Life One Dish at a Time."

The American style of worship, like everything else in people's overloaded lives, is speeding up.

This hurried search for the Almighty partly explains the rise of a niche industry of books, DVDs, podcasts, text messages and e-mail blasts that distill the essentials of faith, from creation to the crucifixion.

The materials offer bite-sized spiritual morsels that can be digested in minutes, or even seconds, on the daily commute, aboard airplanes or at the dinner table. As "7 Minutes With God" advises: "Take 7 minutes each day to: build your faith in God, grow closer to the Father, make progress in your spiritual life."

And what about your over-programmed 10-year-old? Again, religious publishers have an answer: "The Kid Who Would Be King: One Minute Bible Stories About Kids."

"The audience is definitely anyone who's interested in a ready-made, quick little devotion they can do every day," said Tim Jordan, an editor at B&H Publishing Group in Nashville, which produces the "The One Minute Bible."

"It's not meant to replace the Bible," Jordan added. "It's meant to whet your appetite."

Publishers aren't the only ones adjusting to the time pressures on modern religious life. Rabbis and ministers, aware that worship is just another weekend option for many people, are shortening their sermons and taking other steps to entice parishioners.

"What's the scarcest commodity in American life?" asks the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. "How do we invite people to connect their life of faith with their life at the soccer practice or in the coffee shop or at the pub or waiting in line for something? I think that's the biggest challenge the church is beginning to recognize."

Traditionalists say quick-hit spirituality can be useful, but that it's no substitute for true learning or involvement in a religious community. Even some of the die-hard faithful, however, see the prophetic writing on the wall.

Leith Anderson leads a 2,900-member church in suburban Minneapolis and is president of the National Assn. of Evangelicals. He also produces a daily radio segment -- "Faith Minute" -- that is heard throughout the Midwest.

"It's preaching to people who have never been in the choir," Anderson said.

For people who are strapped for time, a one minute devotional reading is better than no devotional reading. But it certainly seems like we are trying to fit God into our lives rather than to allow our lives to fit into God's larger plans.

On Mark Roberts' blog, Chris comments:

I agree that it would be easy to criticize such an approach, so here is one quick observation. I have met many people who fall into the lifestyle trap described in the article - “When do you ever find time for God?”

What I encourage people to do is to learn from the monastic tradition (Yes, I am Presbyterian). To use small chunks of time throughout the day to meet God. I learned that the morning quiet time is not enough to sustain me throughout the day. I am bombarded all during the day with my sinfulness, stress inducers, and interactions with other people.

I try to carve out 6-7 times during the day to “pray the hours”. I think there is something to be said for a monastic way of life in the midst of the 21s century! Why not come to God at various times of the day to combat the daily grind that each day brings.

Not a bad suggestion! [SDG-JS]