My purpose in sharing my passion, prayers, highs/lows, and school of thought is to encourage, uplift, and point others to Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. In doing so I make every attempt to remain transparent. as I have failed Him miserably in my lifetime, regardless of the fact that my childhood relationship with Him was so immediate and binding. Although I strayed, He never. My life is actually quite remarkable, or amazing as I love to describe it. The plans He had for me from the beginning may have deviated a bit, but finally I was steered back on course. The experience I have acquired and the wisdom I have gleaned in the course of my life journey are nothing short of astounding, and I remain forever indebted to God and humbled that He loves me so much in all my unworthiness.
I listened to a sermon by Charles Stanley this morning called "God's Stress Remover." It had several good points, as his teachings generally do. This pastor has always tried to be honest and transparent about his shortcomings, so when he asks a pointed question it comes across from a man who's been there. He talked about the difference between loneliness and solitude, whereas one is intentional and the other is not. Solitude is time away from distractions that hinder our ability to remain at rest, without stress, that we all have living in the world today. That is just a simple truth. He shared about his path to finding solitude with God that he has used since an early age. He would go to a place where it was dark and without any detectable noises thereby removing any distractions so he could hear the voice of God clearly.
Good idea, as then you can't be distracted by what you see or hear making it better to hear God's still, small voice. So I decided I'd give that a try using my closet in my bedroom. After making all the adjustments I could to include taking a hammer out and trying to force the door to close, I moved on to the next place that was much smaller. I cleared the way, set my little rug down with my knees crammed up to my chest in this small closet, and closed the door. After a few minutes I realized that this would not work, as I could not breathe! So I moved to plan C.
I took my rather large teddy bear, Brutus, given to me by a friend, out of my rocking chair in the living room, put a scarf around my head to block my vision, and settled myself in the rocker. As I was sitting there I could hear the clock ticking (I have acute hearing), refrigerator running, and birds singing sweetly outside the window. This is where I started to giggle. I also visualized Jesus alone by Himself in the forest praying, as this was how He separated Himself to spend time alone with God. I giggled again, because, really now, do you think there was perfect quiet in the woods?!
The point to this ridiculous exercise was to realize what I already know...we each have our places we go to feel solace and to hear the voice of the Lord. Mine is going to my "thinking spot" which is in the hills above me, by the river. Although being beside the "still waters" doesn't literally mean the absence of sound, it can be soothing and peaceful. It's a matter of perspective. Nature is where I can get alone with God, and I retreat there often. But there are other ways I can hear His voice without distractions just being here at home. I turn off the phones for one thing, and I dull as many of the "sounds" around me as I can. And it works!
The important thing about this little "exercise" is that I know how to relieve stress, and thank God I have had a rather good week, regardless of the little challenges that seem to arise. I'm making progress, but in saying that I am opening myself up to the one who says, "Well we'll see about that!" But then, it's not as if he's never tried or will ever stop trying to bring us down. It's just not working as often these days. Thank God for that!
Now as I get myself back on my original course of the day...back from my momentary distraction...I can once more focus on the subject of this blog. See how that works! Go ahead and laugh! I have!
I began my day studying my Bible reading for the day and looking for connections with other things I read and glean along the way as I study. I keep my journal close and I jot things down as I read or inspirations that come. Sometimes I move past a point to a connecting thought from God, something He's shown me that the author may not have understood or perceived as a correlation. Or perhaps it is just God's way of speaking to me through a scripture. It's a relationship, and it works!
"There are some who position themselves between you and God.
There are some who suggest that the only way to get to God is
through them.... Jesus' message for complicated religion is to
remove these middlemen.... We are all brothers and sisters and
have equal access to the Father.
And the Angels Were Silent
Max Lucado
"You are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one
Master and you are all brothers."
Matthew 23:3
"For there is one God and one mediator, the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony
given in its proper time."
1 Timothy 2:5,6
Sadly, some folks don't understand that they can have this type of friendship with God, that He so longs to hear from us daily. I recently attended a church service at a small church in my area comprised of brand new Christian families. It is so refreshing to experience the warmth and acceptance of new believers in Christ, because their faces shine with the love of God, unconditionally welcoming you into the house of praise. The pastor has initiated a program of memorizing a new scripture each week, and I know the value of this practice very well, as the word lights our path in our daily walk with Jesus.
The small hamlet in which I live has great need, and giving back to the community is the heart of the gospel. Imagine the impact if each church would incorporate this practice into their ministry.
"It's a sad but true fact of the faith: religion is used for profit and
prestige. And when it is, there are two results: people are
exploited and God is infuriated."
And the Angels Were Silent
Max Lucado
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep
oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
"Love means to love that which is unlovable, or it is no virtue at all;
forgiving means to pardon that which is unpardonable, or it is not virtue at all -
and to hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is not virtue at all."
G.K. Chesterton
"There is not a heart but has its moments of longing, yearning
for something better, nobler, holier than it knows now."
Henry Ward Beecher
Vacation Bible Schools bring children to the church every summer looking for ways to occupy their time, and perhaps their parents are just hoping to find a place to attend as their home church. The week ends, hearts are touched, but then contact is lost...until the next year. But what happens in between in small towns where there's nothing for children to do to occupy their time other than look at tv, eat fast food and snack on sugar, play videos games which offer no creativity, and a lot of free time to get into mischief, because there's always someone waiting to trap a lonely youth into the wrong type of lifestyle promising a fast buck. Deception.
What's the response? We have a choice. I must admit some days I want to give up, because although I have the know how to help, no one seems to want it. People speak about growth, but they don't want to change the way things are now. It's a catch 22, and I honestly feel confused at times which way I am to go. But, I roll up my sleeves, and I try again, hoping someone, somewhere will "catch the vision" and meet the need. Who knows what can happen...perhaps a future and a hope!
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