Sometimes it is really busy. That business may not be you: today I am acting as a ferry for son two because it is final rehearsals. The play starts tomorrow night, ie Sunday.

And the clinical week was busy. Some weeks you do not get much academic work done: this was one of those weeks.

So… take a deep breath and look at the lectionary.

Mark 10:46-52

46They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” 52Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

II Corinthians 4:16-18

16So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

There are some periods in your life when you are a taxi and cook. You are dealing with the logistics of teenagers. You do not have time for yourself. You are busy. Like I am doing today, you take literally ten to fifteen minutes to sit down and read… and today it is very mechanical, because I have a mental clock ticking in my head.

But… that period ends. Your children grow. Our children are not there for us: we are loaned them from God to raise them and then let them go. They have their own calling, and it is not ours. And then we will have time. That is the season of contemplation and prayer: but it is also the season when our outer nature is wasting away.

And in the season of children, you are busy. However, I can see that season finishing, and then I will be grieving for the business of this time. Paul tells us to look to the eternal.

The world tells us to look for youth and perfection where things are temporary. We cannot be perfect but in Christ, and he will make us so. Look instead to him.