May 31, 2024

I had a routine doctor's appointment this week, and apparently I had either signed up for text reminders or forgotten to opt out of the reminders. And wow, remind me they did! I made the appointment about six weeks ago, and got my first reminder one month before the appointment. The second reminder came three weeks before the appointment, and the third reminder two weeks before the appointment. They ramped up from there to twice per week. There were daily reminders the week prior to the appointment, and the day before the appointment I received three regular reminders and three text requests to check-in online. It was a lot. 

Jennifer, why not just opt out?, you may be asking. That's a darn good question. I almost opted about at least five or six times, but each time I hesitated. The texts were too many, definitely, but they were also helpful. Pestering, but helpful. By the time the day of my appointment arrived, there was no way I was going to forget it. 

The flood of reminders got me thinking about all the ways the Divine reaches out to us, on a daily basis. The promise of the sunrise each morning. The gifts of grace and mercy. Friends, neighbors, and even strangers who wave hello, make us smile, or lend a hand. Friends, neighbors, and even strangers who need us to wave hello, make them smile, or lend a hand. "Coincidences" that make us wonder...

I suppose we need those reminders the same way my appointment reminders were (annoyingly) helpful. Scripture tells us God is always with us. Got it, we say. "Love your neighbor," Jesus said. Got it, we say. But then, we often behave differently. I guess Spirit needs to "text" us with reminders. Ping! A little nudge that brings us comfort when we need it. Ping! An invitation to step into new ways of being in community with one another. Ping! Situations that challenge us - and help us grow. 

My prayer for you this week is for your Spirt pings to feel more like invitations and less like pestering. My prayer is that you choose not to opt out.