Mara had always been in motion.
Her days were a blur of appointments, errands, and endless lists. Even at night, her thoughts kept racing ahead to the next thing. She hardly noticed the seasons anymore—except when her phone reminded her to switch her wardrobe.
One winter morning, her car began to shudder on the way to work. Reluctantly, she pulled into a mechanic. It wasn’t convenient. She didn’t have time. But the mechanic insisted she leave it overnight for a full service.
With no car and no schedule left to keep, Mara began to walk home. For the first time in months, she felt the air on her face. She noticed frost sparkling on the grass, and how the low sun painted gold across the rooftops. Something in her chest loosened.
The next day, the mechanic explained that the tyres had been worn thin, the brakes sluggish, the oil clogged. “You just needed a bit of care,” he said with a kind smile. As she drove away in her newly serviced car, Mara realised how differently it handled—how smooth, steady and renewed it felt.
She laughed out loud, because in that moment she saw herself in that car.
All year she had been running on thin tyres, brakes too tired to slow her down, a heart in need of clearing out. She had given everything to others, never stopping long enough to be cared for herself. She’d forgotten that even engines need rest.
That evening, she didn’t make a list or turn on the television. She made tea, wrapped herself in a blanket, and watched the sun sink slowly through her window. She felt her own breath, the gentle beat of her heart, and the surprising warmth of stillness.
From that day on, Mara began a new rhythm. She learned to pause, to let Spirit speak to her in the small, ordinary moments: the warmth of a cup, the laughter of a stranger, the soft hush of winter rain.
Her life did not become perfect—but it became present. She realised the future could wait, and the past had already done its work. Now was where she belonged.
And like her faithful car, she discovered that with care, she too could be renewed, ready for the road ahead.
Essence of the story:
We need to stop, allow care, and be present. Renewal comes not from rushing, but from resting and noticing the life that is happening now.
audio version:
Service Reflection
The central lesson woven through today’s sermon is:
Live fully in the present moment, trusting the natural rhythm of life.
The sermon reminds us that life is constantly inviting us back to the present moment. Too often our energy becomes scattered—part of us lingering in the past, replaying mistakes or missed opportunities, while another part strains toward the future, trying to predict or control what has not yet come.
In this restless state we overlook the treasure that is right here: this breath, this heartbeat, this moment. Instead of dwelling on what has been or rushing toward what might be, we are called to awaken to the “now.”
Like the seasons, every moment has its own purpose: a time to rest, a time to grow, a time to be renewed. When we slow down, care for ourselves, and meet life as it unfolds, we make space for Spirit to guide us, to restore us, and to reveal the quiet blessings that have been waiting for us all along.
Key themes:
- The present moment is sacred.
- Renewal comes from rest and allowing care.
- Every season and challenge carries purpose.
- Trust Spirit’s guidance in the now.
1. Honour the Season You Are In
Just as nature has seasons of growth, harvest, rest, and renewal, so do our lives.
Winter does not try to be spring; it honours its stillness, its purpose of quiet preparation. In the same way, there are times when we are called to pause, reflect, or heal. Trying to skip over these seasons only exhausts us. The present season—whatever it looks like—has meaning.
2. Allow Spirit to Guide the Unfolding
When we are present, we create space to hear Spirit’s guidance.
Instead of forcing answers, we begin to listen.
In the silence, inspiration, insight, and healing can flow to us. Spirit speaks most clearly when we are still enough to listen.
3. Self-Care and Renewal Are Sacred Acts
Like the story of the car that needed rest and repair, the teaching reminds us that we too need regular care. Pausing is not a weakness; it is a way of honouring the vessel we travel in. When we stop, rest, and allow ourselves to be tended, we become renewed, ready for the next stretch of life’s journey.
4. Release the Weight of Past and Future
The past cannot be changed; the future cannot be lived ahead of time.
Carrying both robs us of the joy available here and now.
By releasing these burdens, we free our energy to meet what is before us with clarity and love.
5. Find the Miracles in the Ordinary
The lesson invites us to notice small blessings—a shared smile, the feel of sunshine, the sound of rain, the warmth of a fire.
When we are present, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.
Life reveals its beauty one moment at a time.
6. Life Flows Through Us, Not At Us
This teaching also changes our perspective:
Life is not happening to us; life is happening through us.
When we are present, we participate in the flow of creation rather than resisting it.
In essence, living in the now is an act of trust.
It trusts that Spirit has a rhythm and a timing, that rest is as purposeful as action, and that the blessings of life are waiting to be discovered in this very moment.
audio version:
