For Our Meditation 
“For all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God,
And who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing Him who is,  
and from studying the works did not discern the artisan: 
But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, 
Or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. 
Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these. 
…Or if they were stuck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is He who made them.”  (Wisdom 13) 

Are we working too hard? 
Our Scripture reading today from the book of Wisdom invites us to stop, look and listen to the gifts of God that surround us.  The author ponders our foolishness, for we see beauty, might, energy all around us, but do we see IN these gifts, the Giver of the gifts? 

What can pierce our hearts amidst our very busy days is the profound realization that it is God who labors for us and not we who labor for God.  What if we just stopped for a moment to consider the gifts that God has provided for us today: from the profound gift of life and breath, to the awe of loved ones, to the beauty of nature around us, to the promise of His ever-present love in the midst of our struggles.  What we are called into today is the truth that all this is God’s labor of love for us.  If we rest in this truth, we will receive a huge reduction of stress and effort for today.  God will carry us, God will provide for us and for our loved ones, and we are the receivers of this care…if we let God do this. 

To see God amidst beauty is certainly easier than seeing God in the midst of what hurts us.  In pain, suffering, disappointment, discouragement, God desires to offer us mercy, tenderness and love.  So often we doubt this; so often we try to handle our pain on our own.  The truth for our hearts to ponder lies in the truth of our God who cannot stop laboring for us.  In the free gift of love, He asks us to take our struggles to Him in order that He might be with us.   

So let us stop, look, listen to what is in our hearts this day and take time to tell God what lies so deep in us.  And let us ask the Lord to show us how He is loving us today.