1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Let us pray here o Israel, the Lord, our God 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: is one Lord Deuteronomy six four. Dear Lord, I'm listening. 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:18,639 Speaker 1: You've got my attention. What a declarative statement. There is 4 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: only one God, and you are the Lord. There is 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: no other god beside you. Lord. From the very beginning, 6 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: you made it known that you are the master creator. 7 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,919 Speaker 1: You designed this world and everything in it. You are 8 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: the great I am. You are and always have been 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: and always will be. Let this truth pass through my 10 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: ear gate into my heart and imbed this truth in 11 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: my belief system. What power that truth brings to my faith? You, 12 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: o Lord, are the one true God with all power, wisdom, 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: and supremacy over all. You invite me into your presence 14 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 1: and call me your own. What an honor and privilege 15 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 1: to be your child. You, my heavenly Father, are my 16 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 1: provision and protector. You are the one I worship with 17 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: all my heart, mind, and soul. You are the only 18 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: one worthy of my praise. You teach me the wisdom 19 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: of your ways and raise me out of my poverty 20 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: and give me hope. Let me radiate your love to 21 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: all those around me as you shine your light through me. 22 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: I bless your holy name and pray all of these 23 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: things in Jesus Name. Amen. Thank you for listening to 24 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: to day's daily prayer for more inspiration and an incredible 25 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: message from our feature pastor stay tuned to Pray dot 26 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 1: COM's Sunday service, Schalem. 27 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: This is l Estein. I'm President and CEO of the 28 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 2: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the largest nonprofit in 29 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: Israel providing humanitarian aid to those in need. I am 30 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: so glad to be speaking to you, the prey dot 31 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 2: com community. As you can imagine, with the current situation 32 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 2: here in Israel, the Jewish people certainly need our prayers 33 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: now more than ever, and in this spirit of coming 34 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: together in prayer, I would like to share with you 35 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 2: one of my biblical teachings. Join me now. These days, 36 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: there are so many things keeping us busy and distracted, 37 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 2: whether it's social media or the daily demands of life. 38 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 2: It's easy to lose our connection to the present moment. 39 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 2: But when our minds are always anywhere but here, we 40 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: can miss out on the beauty, the people, and the 41 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: miracles that are all around us. On today's podcast, we're 42 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 2: going to talk about how we can slow down and 43 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 2: connect to the present moment and why it's so important 44 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: for us to do that if we want to have 45 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 2: a relationship with God, we'll explore the biblical story of 46 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 2: Moses and the Burning Bush and discover why the moment 47 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 2: we are in right now is the key to unlocking 48 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 2: our best lives. The Book of Exodus begins by telling 49 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: us how the children of Israel went from being welcomed 50 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 2: guests in Egypt to becoming slaves who are brutalized by 51 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: the Egyptians. Scripture tells us that the Egyptians felt threatened 52 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: by the growing number of Israelites and decided to contain 53 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 2: them through slavery. We also read about Pharaoh's attempt to 54 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 2: murder every Israelite baby boy, and how Moses was saved 55 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: when his mother sent him floating down the Nile River, 56 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: where he was found and adopted did by Pharaoh's daughter. 57 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: The Bible tells us how Moses grew up in Pharaoh's 58 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 2: home until one day he saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating 59 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 2: an Israelite slave, and he killed the Egyptian. That event 60 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: led Moses to flee for his life, and he ended 61 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 2: up in Midian, where he met his wife, Sipora. And 62 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: began life as a shepherd. The verses I want to 63 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 2: focus on today tells us about the day in Moses's 64 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 2: life that changed everything. It was the day that he 65 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 2: saw a burning bush and received a mission from God 66 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: to free the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery. The 67 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 2: verses are Exodus chapter three, verses one through four, and 68 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: I'll read them to you now. Now. Moses was tending 69 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 2: the flock of Jethro, his father in law, the priest 70 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: of Midian, and he led the flock to the far 71 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain 72 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 2: of God. There in a the Lord appeared to him 73 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw 74 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 2: that though the bush was on fire, it did not 75 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 2: burn up. So Moses thought, I will go over and 76 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 2: see this strange sight. Why the bush does not burn. 77 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 2: When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, 78 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: God called on him from within the bush Moses Moses, 79 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: and Moses said, here I am. These verses tell us 80 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 2: that Moses was tending to his sheep when he noticed 81 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 2: a bush that was on fire but wasn't consumed by 82 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 2: the flames. He decided to go over and explore the 83 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 2: strange phenomenon, and then God called to him. When Moses 84 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:49,119 Speaker 2: heard God's call, he answered in Hebrew he nani, which 85 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: means here I am, and that was the beginning of 86 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 2: the conversation that transformed Moses from an Egyptian outcast to 87 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: the Savior of Israel. According to Jewish tradition, Moses wasn't 88 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: the first person to see the burning bush. There'd been 89 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 2: other people, probably shepherds just like him, who walked by 90 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 2: that very same bush, but Moses was the first person 91 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: to stop and go over to check it. It's possible 92 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 2: that the other people who passed by the burning bush 93 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: didn't notice it because they were too busy rushing by 94 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 2: or too preoccupied with the thoughts in their heads. Or 95 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: maybe some people did notice the bush but decided to 96 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 2: ignore it. Maybe they didn't want to deal with it 97 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: and figured someone else would take care of the fire, 98 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 2: or maybe they were just too busy to take the 99 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 2: time to see what was going on. Either way, Moses 100 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 2: was the only person to notice the burning bush to 101 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: stop to go over to it, and as a result, 102 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: he was the one who encountered God. Scripture is very 103 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 2: clear about the connection between Moses going over to the 104 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 2: burning bush and God speaking to him. Verse four reads 105 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: when the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, 106 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: God called to him. One way that we can understand 107 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: this versus, Because the Lord saw that he had gone 108 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 2: over to look, God called to him. Moses was present 109 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 2: in his life. His mind wasn't wandering all over the place, 110 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 2: and he wasn't rushing to get somewhere else. He was 111 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 2: able to appreciate an extraordinary phenomena, and he was willing 112 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: to step out of his usual routine to follow what 113 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: was important at that moment. And because of this, Moses 114 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 2: had an encounter with God, an encounter that changed his 115 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: life and all of his history. This teaching is so powerful, 116 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 2: and it's so relevant to me and probably to most 117 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 2: people in this modern world. It reminds us how important 118 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: it is to be present in our own lives. We'd 119 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 2: all like to think that if we passed by the 120 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 2: burning bush, that we would have stopped and gone over 121 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 2: to it, just like Moses did. But would we have. 122 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: Are you sure you would have even noticed it? And 123 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 2: if you did, would you have stopped your day, your 124 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 2: busy day with your checklists and places to be, to 125 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 2: walk over and see what was going on. I want 126 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 2: to tell you a true story that I once read 127 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 2: about how we often miss the most extraordinary things which 128 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: are right before our eyes. One Friday morning, in a 129 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 2: busy subway station in Washington, d C. A man played 130 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 2: his violin for forty five minutes. Over a thousand people 131 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 2: passed by as he played, but only a three year 132 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 2: old and six adults stopped to listen. Everyone else rushed by. 133 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 2: At the end of the session, musician had collected thirty 134 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 2: two dollars. Here's what the commuters didn't know. The violinist 135 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 2: was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in 136 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 2: the world. On that busy Friday morning, he played one 137 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 2: of the most complicated pieces, and just a few days earlier, 138 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: he played for an audience where the average ticket sold 139 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 2: for one hundred dollars. Joshua Bell agreed to play in 140 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: the subway that morning as part of a social experiment 141 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: about perception and priorities. He would play exceptional music in 142 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 2: an ordinary place at a busy hour. The question was 143 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:43,719 Speaker 2: what people notice. The results of the experiment revealed that no, 144 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 2: most people did not notice something extraordinary at a busy 145 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 2: time in an ordinary place. People were blinded by their 146 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 2: schedules and daily demands. They simply couldn't see the exceptional 147 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 2: beauty rite in front of them, Which leads to another question. 148 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: If people could miss such unmistakable talent right before their eyes, 149 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 2: what else could we be missing in life? How much 150 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 2: are we missing because we don't have the time or 151 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: the willingness to see and hear what's all around us? 152 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 2: Are we missing out on inspiration, relationships, and joy? And 153 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 2: is it possible that we could even be missing out 154 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 2: on God? We live in a society that pushes productivity, 155 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 2: that encourage us to work and work and work and 156 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 2: accomplish and do every moment of our lives. Even our 157 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 2: children are encouraged to take on more and more extracurricular activities, 158 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 2: leading to even more hectic family schedules and less time 159 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 2: to just be with one another, with ourselves in our lives. 160 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 2: We need to remember that sometimes the most productive things 161 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 2: that we can do is simply to slow down, to 162 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 2: do less and to be more. We are human beings, 163 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 2: not human doings, and if we get caught up in 164 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: doing things all the time, we won't have time to 165 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 2: just be, to experience the beauty of our lives, to 166 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 2: connect with God and to actually see what's going on 167 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 2: around us. I have a friend who once told me 168 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 2: that she tries to spend a moment every day looking 169 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 2: up at the sky. She said, I know I'm too busy. 170 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 2: When a whole day goes by and I haven't looked 171 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,479 Speaker 2: up at the sky, I don't know if the clouds 172 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 2: are wispy or fluffy, darker light, or if there are 173 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 2: no clouds at all. Her words made an impression on me. 174 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 2: It made me realize that if we don't have the 175 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 2: time to simply look up at this sky and notice 176 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 2: the beauty and changing Godliness on display every day, how 177 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 2: can we expect to notice God's presence in our lives. 178 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 2: That's why I always try to pay attention to the sky. 179 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 2: It was the last day of October and I was 180 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 2: working in my home office when something outside my window 181 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 2: caught my eye. I looked out my window and saw tens, 182 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 2: maybe hundreds of large storks flying in formation through the sky. 183 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 2: They just kept coming and coming. After those two minutes 184 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 2: where the storks kept on coming, I thought about how 185 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: God is and how he sends us miracles and messages 186 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 2: all the time, we just have to open up our 187 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 2: eyes to see them. In ancient times, a Jewish prophet 188 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:53,079 Speaker 2: was referred to as an adult child. A prophet had 189 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 2: the maturity and intelligence of an adult, but also the 190 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 2: wonder and open heart of a child. That sense of 191 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 2: wonder and awe is what allowed a profit to experience God, 192 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 2: and if we want to experience God in our own lives, 193 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 2: we need to slow down enough to allow our own 194 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 2: sense of childlike wonder to shine through, to open our 195 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 2: hearts so that we noticed the beauty and miracles and 196 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 2: messages all around us instead of rushing right by them. 197 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 2: But I also know from firsthand experience that sometimes even 198 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: though we try not to overschedule and we try to 199 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 2: make time for the things that matter most, sometimes we're 200 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 2: just very busy. But even in our busiest times, we 201 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 2: can learn to be present, to be mindful, and to 202 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: be open to God's messages. I had an experience recently 203 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 2: that will explain what I mean. I had a terrible cold, 204 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 2: or maybe it was even a flu, and it completely 205 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 2: knocked me out for an entire week. I did what 206 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 2: I needed to do. I canceled all of my appointments 207 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 2: and I rested in bed. As you can imagine. When 208 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 2: I did go back to work the following week, I 209 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 2: had a lot of catching up I needed to do. 210 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 2: To say that I was busy is an understatement. My 211 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 2: schedule was jam packed. On one of those busy days, 212 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 2: I went into Jerusalem to make up meetings and appointments 213 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 2: that I had missed, and towards the end of the day, 214 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 2: I scheduled exactly one hour for a specific appointment, and 215 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 2: even though I could have used some extra time, I 216 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 2: left as soon as the hour was up in order 217 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 2: to join my next meeting, a phone meeting with people 218 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 2: from around the world in six different time zones. I 219 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 2: was standing on the sidewalk outside of the building where 220 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 2: I had my last appointment, waiting for my cab and 221 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 2: listening in on the meeting when suddenly I noticed a 222 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 2: frail looking elderly woman carrying a bunch of groceries. I 223 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 2: put myself. I went over to her and I asked 224 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 2: her if she needed help and if she had a 225 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 2: ride home. She said that she did, so I returned 226 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 2: to my meeting and I waited for my cab. I 227 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 2: was completely focused on what was happening on my meeting, 228 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 2: but the whole time, I also had my eye on 229 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: this woman. A few minutes later, I heard someone come 230 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 2: up to her and say that she had a move 231 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: because she was blocking a driveway. I watched her struggle 232 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: to bend down and pick up her bags, and you 233 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 2: know what I did. I rushed over to help her. 234 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 2: It was exactly then that my cab pulled up, and 235 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 2: so I was on a call. I was helping her 236 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 2: hold her groceries. I was trying to focus, and I 237 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 2: realized that in this moment, the woman needed me. I 238 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 2: excused myself from the call. I said I'd be back 239 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 2: in a few minutes. I told my cab to wait. 240 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 2: I went over to the woman, and as I was 241 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: holding her bags, I looked her and said, I'm taking 242 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 2: you home now. You can cancel your other You've been 243 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 2: waiting for too long. This time, she gratefully accepted my offer. 244 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 2: All of the worry from her eyes melted away, and 245 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 2: I made a slight detour on my way to the office. 246 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 2: I could bring the sweet elderly woman home. The phone 247 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 2: meeting that I was on when this was happening was 248 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: about helping elderly and needy in Israel. I called back 249 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 2: into the meeting and told them what happened. I apologize 250 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 2: for needing to get off the phone, but I expressed 251 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 2: that I realized the irony in it. What if I 252 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 2: had been too busy with the meeting of planning of 253 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 2: how we're going to help many elderly in Israel to 254 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: notice the one elderly woman in front of my face 255 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 2: who needed me at that very moment. It would have 256 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 2: been sad to neglect the elderly woman in front of 257 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 2: me because I had a call about helping elderly. I 258 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 2: look back at this, and I realize I would have 259 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 2: missed God's message to me at that very moment. I 260 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 2: would have missed a chance to be his messenger and 261 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 2: to see His reflection in that woman's grateful smile. Just 262 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: like God helps me every chance he gets, I want 263 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 2: to help others when I'm able to. I was so 264 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 2: thankful that I was able to stay present even when 265 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 2: I was busy on my phone call, and to notice 266 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 2: what God was showing me in that moment where I 267 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 2: was needed. Now, there is a beautiful teaching from Rebbi 268 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: Abraham Isaac Cook, the first chief Rabbi of modern Israel, 269 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 2: about finding God in the present moment. Rabbi Cook quoted 270 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 2: Proverbs three six, which says, in all your ways, acknowledge Him. 271 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 2: He explained that this verse teaches us that we come 272 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 2: to know God through whatever it is we are called 273 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 2: to do at this very moment. We serve God in 274 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 2: many different ways. Sometimes it's through prayer, other times it's 275 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 2: through an act of kindness, and other times it's by 276 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 2: being our best at work. We can come to know 277 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 2: God in all these ways. Rabbi Hook explained that if 278 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 2: our job is to wash dishes at this very moment, 279 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 2: we should embrace it because that's where we will find God. 280 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 2: If an opportunity to do kindness appears at this moment, 281 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 2: we should jump at it because that is how we 282 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 2: will connect with God. God is never found in thinking 283 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 2: about the future or the past, or wishing we were 284 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 2: doing something else. God is always found in the present moment, 285 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 2: in opportunities to serve Him right now. If we want 286 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 2: to know God, we have to stay in the moment, 287 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 2: connected to the present time. In Jewish observance, mastering the 288 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 2: ability to stay connected to the present moment is something 289 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 2: that we practice every day. You might have already heard 290 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: me talk about how Jews say a lot of blessings 291 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 2: every day. There are blessings that we say in the 292 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 2: morning that thank God for things we might otherwise take 293 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 2: for granted, including the ability to see, to have clothing, 294 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 2: to have strength to stand up straight, and even just 295 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 2: for waking up to another day. Then there are the 296 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 2: blessings we say on our food every time we eat. 297 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: Each type of food has its own unique blessing. For example, 298 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 2: when we eat fruit, we thank God for the fruit 299 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 2: of the tree, and when we eat vegetables we thank 300 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 2: God for the fruit of the land. And then there 301 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 2: is a blessing we say every time we use the bathroom, 302 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 2: thanking God for a healthy body. There are also special 303 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 2: blessings when we see or experience a wonder of nature. 304 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 2: For example, we see lightning here, thunder sea or rainbow, 305 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 2: even smell a delicious spice, or see the ocean for 306 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 2: the first time in a long time. There is a 307 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 2: blessing for every one of those speriences. In the past, 308 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 2: I talked about how this practice helps us maintain a 309 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 2: grateful heart, But another benefit of saying these blessings all 310 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 2: day on every experience is that it keeps us present 311 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 2: and mindful of what we are experiencing. It keeps us 312 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 2: awake so that we don't miss out on the beauty 313 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:26,160 Speaker 2: of life or the presence of God. Saying these blessings 314 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 2: forces us to slow down, even for a moment, so 315 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 2: that we can become fully aware of what is happening 316 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 2: in our lives, aware of our blessings, of our connection 317 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 2: to God, and to the messages that He might be 318 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 2: sending to us. As a wife, a mother of four children, 319 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 2: and the CEO of a large organization, I know how 320 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 2: easy it is to get lost our minds race to 321 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 2: the future, to our worries and to our to do lists, 322 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,719 Speaker 2: or we might find ourselves distracted by the things we 323 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: didn't get done yes day, or by something else that 324 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 2: happened in the past. But life happens in the present moment. 325 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 2: God is in the present moment, and the more we 326 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: can connect to the moment we are in right now, 327 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 2: the more we will encounter God in our lives. In 328 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 2: Psalms one eighteen twenty four, we read zehyoma sahashm nagila 329 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 2: venis machabo. This is the day that the Lord has made. 330 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 2: We will rejoice and be glad in it. This verse 331 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,719 Speaker 2: reminds us that we need to approach each day as 332 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 2: though it is the most important day of our lives. 333 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,360 Speaker 2: We need to celebrate each day and stay fully connected 334 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 2: to the time we are in right now. This week 335 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 2: takes some time to consider ways that you can stay mindful, present, 336 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 2: and attentive to God's messages at all times. Can you 337 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 2: slow down by scheduling in moments to pray and rest 338 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 2: throughout your day. Can you take extra care to notice 339 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 2: your surroundings, the sky, the people, and the beauty all 340 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,199 Speaker 2: around you. Can you look at your familiar surroundings with 341 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 2: fresh eyes and discover something new. Or maybe you can 342 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 2: use your meal times as moments to slow down, appreciate 343 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 2: your blessings and connect to God. God is right here, 344 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 2: right now, in exactly what we're doing, and if we 345 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 2: pay attention, keep a sense of wonder, and celebrate the 346 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 2: moment we are in, we will see Him, hear him, 347 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:46,239 Speaker 2: and feel his unending love at all times, just like 348 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 2: Moses Chevoeteau of my friends, have a wonderful week from 349 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 2: here in the Holy Land on behalf of the International 350 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 2: Fellowship of Christian and Jews. This is you, l x 351 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 2: Stein saying thank you, Todara Bah for listening to this 352 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,920 Speaker 2: podcast on behalf of the Fellowship and the people of Israel. 353 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 2: Thank you for your prayers and support for God's people 354 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,120 Speaker 2: in our time of need. Please join me from more 355 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 2: ancient Biblical teachings that will surely uplift and enrich your 356 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 2: faith and prayer life by visiting my channel on pray 357 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 2: dot com or the Fellowship website at IFCJ dot org. 358 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,959 Speaker 3: The podcast The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham 359 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 3: is a moving and inspiring Biblical audio experience that will 360 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 3: help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In 361 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 3: each episode, you'll learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. 362 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: Each cinematic episode is a journey through the Bible's most 363 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: profound stories that will strengthen your appreciation of the Word 364 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: and inspire you to keep learning. 365 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 3: Listen to The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham 366 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 3: on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.