In everything you do, put God first …” Proverbs 3:6
During a recent stay at a hotel, I entered the room and saw a master switch as soon as I entered. I paused and remembered my first encounter with a similar switch several years ago.
I entered a hotel room with my baggage and flipped switches, but nothing happened. I was beyond frustrated. I had a presentation the next day and due to a flight delay, I had even less time to do finishing touches. I called the front desk, and the conversation went like this:
Me: I think something is wrong. The lights aren’t working. I am turning on all the switches and nothing is happening. There’s no light.
Front Desk: Ms. Spencer, did you turn on the master switch?
Me: The master switch?
Front Desk: Yes, it is the first switch and it’s positioned right by the door as you enter. Once you turn on the master switch, the in-room lighting will be activated. The room’s lighting system is controlled by the master switch.
Me: I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe I walked right by it.
Front Desk: No worries, Ms. Spencer. (Smile.) You are not the first one to ask.
Guess what happened?
I turned on the switch and the room was flooded with light.
Have you ever had days where you forgot to activate the master switch? We wake up and open the door to a new day and immediately receive and respond to calls, text messages, emails, and family members. The day goes by in a blur; we are doing everything yet getting absolutely nothing accomplished.
When you finally have that moment and say to yourself, “I think something’s wrong,” and we receive the answer in a variety of ways, through a song, a statement or even in the stillness … Did you activate the master switch? Sometimes, it means stopping what we’re doing and starting our day over. We pause, go back, and begin our day again … even if it is in the afternoon.
We have entered the Lenten season. It’s a season of preparing for the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. It is a time of prayer, fasting and intentional practices that are done for the 40 days.
My intention during Lent will be to focus on spiritual practices that I want to keep as a part of my life beyond the 40 days.
In the past, this has been the season where I have focused on what to release and then I pick it back up when the Lenten season ends. It has been the season where I embraced practices then put them aside when the Lenten season ends.
But this season is different; I chose to let go of things that I don’t want to pick up again when the season ends. This season I want to embrace practices that I plan to continue to practice.
This season the fast that I want to take will last beyond the Lent season and remain. This includes making sure I slow down and turn on the master switch before my day can begin.
Lights on.
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer is also an author, poet, and teacher. You can contact her at www.sheilapspencer.com
