“But God hasn’t moved to the mountains; his holy address hasn’t changed. He’s in charge, as always, his eyes taking everything in, his eyelids Unblinking, examining…”

 If things remain as they are with COVID-19 we can expect that traffic is going to pick back up (although here in the Bay Area it feels like this has already happened) as companies begin opening back up their office and requiring workers to return.  It might not be everyday (at least for awhile) but for the first time in a couple of years (yes almost two full years) the idea of a commute comes back into consideration.  What is considered a reasonable commute time?  Well, there is actually a formula for this.  It’s called the Marchetti Constant. I read this on Quartz last year and have been waiting for a time to write about it that seemed timely.  That is now. When you calculate how long you think is reasonable to commute to work, it’s a good bet that you are thinking….”About 30 minutes one way”. Well, if that is what you are thinking, you are not alone. As Quartz wrote: “ We know this because in 1994, Italian physicist Cesare Marchetti identified a nearly universal rule of human behavior: People tend to travel for about one hour per day, in total. This concept is known as Marchetti’s constant.”  Who knew?  But, we shouldn’t be surprised as there is an algorithm for just about everything.  Yes, kind of like “there is an App for that”.  At least this will give you something to think about today if you are back on your commute.

God is never far from us.  Our commute to Him is also able to be constant, if we choose it to be.  When we feel like He is away from us, it is not Him, it is us who He is calling for us to return and come closer.  We drift easily, but He never changes His address.  So, today, let’s turn our commute into a communion with the one who loves us dearly and nearly!

Reference: Psalm 11:4 (The Message Translation)